Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
Our campus is undergoing a tremendous transformation involving new construction and renovation as we continue to bring to life many of the components of the Campus Framework. These physical changes in the campus environment support the Academic Strategic Plan by prioritizing space in the heart of campus for academics and student-focused departments, programs, resources and services.
With the relocation of units into the Barnes Center at The Arch; the construction of the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, home to the National Veterans Resource Center; and the ongoing renovations to the Schine Student Center, the largest-ever reorganization of campus space is well underway.
Strategic Space Realignment
Working together, the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services, the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction, the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, and the Office of Academic Affairs have developed a strategic space plan responsive to student feedback that aligns student life and learning in key corridors of the University’s spaces.
The following are the many office and unit moves that have taken place or will be taking place over the next few months across campus:
Office of Diversity and Inclusion Suite
This week, the office of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith A. Alford will move into what will become the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Suite on the third floor of Steele Hall. He will be joined on the third floor of Steele Hall later this year by the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program and Student Support Services. These units together—in the heart of campus—will help drive collaborative diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus.
Academic and Research Programs
A large number of administrative offices will be relocated in support of four critical and growing academic and research areas: the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics; the Graduate School and the Office of Research.
· Falk College will expand into the Barclay Wing of the Falk College complex, formerly occupied by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families. This space will be utilized for student services, advising and career services, allowing for additional programmatic growth in the college.
· The Maxwell School will transition certain offices and/or research programs into the first floor of Steele Hall to reorganize its space in Eggers Hall and Maxwell Hall to best support the student experience and program growth. Additional space will also be allocated to the Maxwell School in Lyman Hall, home of the Center for Aging Studies.
· The Office of Research and the Graduate School will expand their offices within Lyman Hall into space vacated by the Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. The Office of Research and the Graduate School, which are critical to the graduate student experience and strengthening the University’s research portfolio, will greatly benefit from this much needed space.
Student Services
To make room for the academic and research expansions, space at the Henry Center Complex (111 Waverly Ave. and 804 University Ave.) will be reorganized to support student services in a location that is easily accessible from the main campus. These relocations and changes include:
· The creation of a large new testing center in the lower level of 111 Waverly Ave. for the Office of Disability Services, which will allow for the expansion and reorganization of its existing offices on the third floor of 804 University Ave.
· Relocation of the Office of the University Ombuds to the lower level of 111 Waverly Ave.
· Relocation of the Dean of Students and Parent and Family Services offices to the second floor of 111 Waverly Ave., adjacent to the Office of Student Living.
· Relocation of the Office of the Registrar, Shaw Center and Office of Learning Communities to the first floor of 111 Waverly Ave., easily accessible off the Waverly Avenue entrance.
· The Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs will be located adjacent to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities on the first floor of 804 University Ave.
As a result of the reorganization within the Henry Center Complex, space will be made available in Bowne Hall to provide a new location in the heart of campus for the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience’s offices of Student Employment, Career Services and Student Success. To make space for these student-facing departments, other staff from the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, who do not have daily interaction with students, will move to either the Henry Center Complex or 716 E. Washington St.
Registrar Classrooms
Information Technology Services’ Learning Environments and Media Production (LEMP) will be relocated from Lyman Hall into the lower level of the Women’s Building. This will allow for the creation of much-needed registrar classrooms in the academic core, while still allowing LEMP to provide timely service to instructors when needed across campus.
Other Relocations
Several office relocations began in fall 2019 and we expect this to continue as we work to align our physical presence with our academic vision and mission. For example, the Office of Alumni Engagement within the Division of Advancement and External Affairs was relocated from the third floor of the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center to 200 Walnut Place. In January 2020, Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment was relocated from the third floor of Steele Hall to the third floor of the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center.
Our work to prioritize campus spaces continues. We have ongoing studies of our STEM buildings and laboratories, and planning is underway to evaluate several other units, including the Whitman School of Management, the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Department of Athletics, to maximize learning and working spaces for students, faculty and staff. We will announce more on further plans in the coming months.
We want to thank the members of our campus community, especially those who have been involved in the various moves, for their patience as we transition people and their offices to new locations.
This work continues as we create an inclusive campus setting that provides an enriched student experience and a vibrant campus community for everyone.
Sincerely,
John Liu
Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost
Pete Sala
Vice President and Chief Campus Facilities Officer