Progress on Campus Framework: Schine Student Center Renovation to Commence May 2019

The Schine Student Center will soon undergo a significant makeover, as part of the Campus Framework.

The Schine Student Center, the hub of student life on the Syracuse University campus, will soon undergo a significant makeover. The renovation, which was identified as a key component of the Campus Framework, a 20-year roadmap meant to guide future campus planning and development, will begin in May 2019. The announcement comes on the heels of the Nov. 9 Board of Trustees meeting, during which the Board unanimously approved the planned renovation.

Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience, says the renovation will support the University’s continued efforts to enhance the student experience.

“The renovation of Schine Student Center will transform the building into a space that creates greater connectivity by bringing the vibrancy of student life front and center,” says Evanovich. “Through enhanced and updated spaces for eating, gathering, meeting and studying, Schine Student Center will serve as a social connector and centralized hub for student engagement and activity.”

Some features of the proposed design include:

• Enhanced accessibility, including the installation of accessible pathways using universal design;
• An upgraded dining experience with additional seating and varied dining options;
• Centralized spaces for student activities, including an expanded space that co-locates the Disability Cultural Center, Office of Multicultural Affairs and LGBT Resource Center to further promote and celebrate intersectionality and inclusion;
• Opening and expanding the central atrium, creating a lounge on the main atrium floor and greater connectivity across the building’s floors.
• Versatile spaces and seating conducive to supporting student organization activities, studying, group meetings or lounging.

“This Campus Framework initiative is paramount to advancing the student experience inside and outside the classroom. This renovation will allow the Schine Student Center to better meet the needs of students today and in the future,” says Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president and chief financial officer.

Integral to the planning and design process was the campus community’s engagement, including during the feasibility study and rendering feedback opportunities. More than 1,600 people, most of which were students, provided input during meetings, residence hall surveys, dining center pop-ups and other campuswide feedback opportunities.

“It is crucial that students make their voices heard and their feedback is incorporated into this project as it affects so many of them,” says Ghufran Salih ’20, president of the Student Association. “The Schine Student Center is the core of many experiences for our students, whether it be their first concert, a quiet study place, a quick bite to eat, or a place to relax and recharge between classes. I am so unbelievably excited to see what this student center will become for the next generation of the Orange family.”

Robert Hradsky, senior associate vice president and dean of students, echoes Salih’s sentiment and stressed the importance of the campus community’s engagement in guiding the building’s design.

“We heard from our campus community members that to enhance the student experience, Schine Student Center needed to be more welcoming, open and student-centered. This feedback was critical to shaping conceptual renderings that transform the building into the ‘living room’ of campus and a go-to destination that is inclusive, accessible and connected,” says Hradsky. “We look forward to continuing to engage the campus community in gathering additional feedback.”

Additional details regarding services, relocations and construction will be provided on news.syr.edu and campusframework.syr.edu. Email updates will also be shared with the community via the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction email updates.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit http://syracuse.edu.