The University of Central Arkansas Campus Master Plan Committee wants input from the campus community regarding a new Campus Master Plan, which is expected to be completed by February.The Campus Master Plan is a document that guides the university?s decisions about the use of its land, the location of its buildings, the navigability of its outdoor spaces and the face the campus presents to the world beyond its borders.
According to Dr. Jonathan Glenn, chairman of the Campus Master Plan Committee, ?University officials recognized, on the one hand, that anticipated growth and rapid change would challenge the capacity of existing plans to address the needs of the campus community and, on the other, that the university?s newly embraced STI/Strategic Framework needed to be given, as it were, a physical form.
?The Campus Master Plan Committee developed a plan outlining the issues to be addressed by any update to the Campus Master Plan. We determined that, if at all possible, consultants should be employed to assist the university in addressing those issues.?
UCA has retained the developers of the university?s earlier Campus Master Plan, Allison Architects (Little Rock) and Van Yarhes Associates (Charlottesville, Virginia), as consultants for this critical update.
Allison + Van Yahres visited the campus in the spring to meet with the committee about the university?s expectations for the Campus Master Plan update. On Sept. 15 and 16, with another visit to campus, the planning process began.
John Allison of Allison Architects and Mike Van Yahres and Syd Knight of Van Yahres Associates held discussions on Sept. 15 with the committee and visited with selected campus leaders including the academic deans, university vice presidents and members of the executive committees of the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Student Government Association.
The consultants also hosted a well-attended open forum, during which they heard from students, faculty, and staff about the master planning issues most on the minds of the campus community.
The following day, the consultants met with individuals and groups, including the president and provost, student services professionals and university advancement officials.
In meetings on both days, a number of issues emerged/reemerged as crucial to UCA as the university moves forward. Specific issues raised during the meetings included:
Academic and student services facilities plans
Student residence halls and other student housing solutions, including ?Greek Row?
Campus coherence (unity and proximity)/intelligibility (maps, signage)
Circulation (moving around) on campus
Parking and its impact on campus space
Athletics facilities plans
Campus expansion
?Although the conultants? face-to-face time with the campus will be limited during this process, they have stressed their wish to continue receiving input from the campus community,? Glenn said.
Comments, questions, observations and suggestions to be considered as the new Campus Master Plan is developed may be emailed to Glenn at jona@uca.edu.
?We want to ensure that information flows the other way as well. We want the entire campus community to be apprised of developments as the planning progresses,? Glenn said.
Members of the UCA Campus Master Plan Committee during the 2005?06 academic year are:
Francie Bolter, Faculty Senate
Max Carranza, Student Government Association
Jack Gillean, Office of the President
Jonathan Glenn, Office of the Provost (CMPC chair)
Kevin Hamilton, Staff Senate
Larry Lawrence, Physical Plant
Paul McLendon, Financial Services
Jan Newcomer, Alumni Association
Vance Strange, Athletics
Ronnie Williams, Student Services
