Campus Framework Advisory Group Adds New Members for Next Phase of Planning Process

For the past two years, members of the Campus Framework Advisory Group have been hard at work helping to guide the planning and design needed to transform the University’s landscape. The group has facilitated surveys, participated in countless listening sessions and collaborated with Sasaki Associates, the University’s design partner, to bring the vision for the campus community to life.

As the process moves into a new phase, Chancellor Kent Syverud has appointed several new members to the Campus Framework Advisory Group, which includes Trustees, students, faculty and staff. The newly appointed members of the Campus Framework Advisory Group are:

• Joe Alfieri, director, Campus Planning, Design, and Construction;
• Joanne Alper, University Trustee and Facilities Committee chair;
• Phil Arnold, associate professor, College of Arts and Sciences;
• Anthony Cabrey, a senior in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, undergraduate student representative;
• Joyce LaLonde, a senior in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/College of Arts and Sciences and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Student Association vice president, undergraduate student representative;
• David Lemon, a Ph.D. student in the College of Arts and Sciences and Graduate Student Organization comptroller, graduate student representative;
• Priyadarshini (Priya) Penner, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, disabilities student representative; and
• Jeff Stanton, associate provost for academic affairs.

They join returning members:

• Nicci Brown, vice president of communications and chief marketing officer;
• Julia Czerniak, professor, School of Architecture
• Steven L. Einhorn, University Trustee and Campus Framework Advisory Group chair;
• Melanie Gray, University Trustee;
• Cathryn Newton, dean emerita and professor, College of Arts and Sciences;
• Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, senior vice president for student affairs;
• Corinne Smith, professor, School of Education; and
• Michael Speaks, dean and professor, School of Architecture.

The new members will replace other colleagues who have moved on from the University and students who have graduated. The advisory group will continue to engage with the community in shaping the University’s physical presence and further guide the details of the draft Campus Framework to provide the best learning environment for students.

“I want to thank the members of the Campus Framework Advisory Group as they’ve worked on this essential plan for the University’s future. Their dedication has enabled the University to be responsive to the needs of the campus community, enhance its physical presence and strengthen the academic and campus life of our students for generations to come,” Chancellor Syverud says. “Their future work will be critical in the months and years ahead as the Campus Framework continues to transform the campus.”

This past summer, several Campus Framework projects took shape in the form of more than $9 million in enhancements to academic spaces, more than $4 million in ADA accessibility projects and the creation of the University Place Promenade. The projects align with the Academic Strategic Plan and the goals of the framework to support academic excellence, enrich student life and create a vibrant campus setting.

As the draft Campus Framework continues to evolve, plans are being made for projects, including:

• the National Veterans Resource Complex, a first-of-its kind facility in the United States aimed at advancing academic research, programming and community-connected innovation serving the social, economic and wellness concerns of the nation’s veterans and families; and
• the West Campus Project, which includes substantial renovations to Archbold Gymnasium to create the “Arch,” a new state-of-the-art, student-focused health and wellness complex; replacement of the aging Carrier Dome roof with a new fixed roof; comprehensive Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-related accessibility and mobility upgrades at both facilities; and other improvements to the Dome.

“It’s been truly an honor to work with the members of the advisory group, who have given their time at various listening sessions, discussions and meetings, along with their careful analysis, to help build and initiate the Campus Framework that is transforming our campus,” Einhorn says. “As further plans are discussed and reviewed, it is especially crucial at this time to have key representation from our most important campus constituents, our students, and seek their continued feedback. I welcome all the new members to the advisory group as we begin this new phase.”

The Campus Framework Advisory Group was created to discuss and analyze the campus physical environment and explore how it can best support the University’s academic and research mission, residential life and overall infrastructure. In October 2014, the University partnered with Sasaki Associates to assist with campus planning and identified guidelines to better align with the University’s new Academic Strategic Plan.

To learn more about the draft Campus Framework and to provide real-time feedback, visit http://CampusFramework.syr.edu.