2012 Campus Master Plan

Overview

The campus lands along Main Street west of the railroad to Route 4 are a primary gateway to campus with open agricultural lands to the north and sports fields to the south.  These functions have been essential parts of the University’s heritage and our planning looks at ways to enhance these functions for the future.  At the same time development opportunities are appearing from outside entities interested in partnering with the University.  This concept has been discussed for many years in a limited fashion, but in this Campus Master Plan effort it is being considered more broadly to determine what University lands would be most suitable for public-private development of various types – research/incubator/entrepreneurial, hotel, workforce/family housing, retail, etc.

As we think about these possibilities internally at first, we will prepare to engage the Durham community and the regional community as our ideas come into focus.  Because these would be private developments they would be required to pay taxes and to comply with all local land use regulations that the University in general does not need to do.  So it is essential that we identify in this Campus Master Plan update process the potential lands that could be privately developed in partnership with the University, so that productive discussions about specific development concepts can occur in the future.

Our consideration and evaluation of Public-Private Venture opportunities is a work in progress. In response to comments and questions we are receiving, we want to clarify that:

• The Fairchild Dairy Research complex, Equine facilities and turnout areas will remain in their current location.
• No agricultural or forested lands will be used for public-private ventures.
• No programs are being eliminated.
• No UNH land will be sold.

Evaluation of Site Options

There have been several meetings with campus leaders and representatives of COLSA and Athletics to begin evaluating all of the lands along Main Street and Mast Road for the potential development capability.  A strategy to focus potential public-private development onto certain parcels of University lands has been put forward in the Campus Master Plan update process for our further evaluation.  There is no specific sequence, time frame, or priority to this strategy at this point in the process.  There are impacts and displacements to existing buildings and land uses that need to be carefully considered and by the end of this process the plan would need to show how these impacts and displacements would be addressed.

Site Options

These slides illustrate the zones for possible public-private ventures, and the importance of design guidelines that would need to be part of any discussions about specific public-private development proposals in the future.

An important aspect of this Campus Master Plan update has been a study of options for repurposing McConnell Hall once the new business school building is opened in January 2013.  This provides an unusual opportunity for the University to move a number of teaching and research programs to consolidate activities or improve adjacencies in a number of academic buildings through sequences of moves.  These need to be coordinated with upcoming major renovation projects for buildings like Hamilton Smith and Nesmith Hall.  This illustration shows a series of moves that could be accomplished over the next five to 10 years.  Hamilton Smith is anticipated to be the first with a full renovation and occupants moving temporarily to McConnell Hall during construction.  Once Hamilton Smith is completed, Psychology, Sociology and Justice works would move to McConnell.  If funding is delayed for the Hamilton Smith project, we would move Psychology into McConnell with other moves delayed in order to preserve enough space for the Hamilton Smith project swing space needs. Other moves would then fall in behind these.

Steering Committee (9)

This committee directs and approves for recommendation to the President the scope of the master plan, the master plan process, and the elements, strategies, and sequences of the plan.

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs - John Aber
Vice President for Finance and Administration - Dick Cannon
Vice President of Student and Academic Services - Mark Rubinstein
Vice President of Advancement - Deborah Dutton
President's Office Chief of Staff - Megan Davis
Deans Representative - Kenneth Fuld
Deans Representative - Jon Wraith
Faculty Senate Representative - William Berndtson
Assistant Vice President for Energy and Campus Development - Paul Chamberlin (CHAIR)
Town Administrator for the Town of Durham - Todd Selig
COLA Dean's Office - Lynn Beaver

Campus Master Planning Committee (52)

This committee represents all aspects of the community, and serves as the sounding board for issues that need to be addressed, and for discussions and presentations of options, considerations, and alternatives.

Academic Affairs (21)

Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs - Lisa MacFarlane
Senior Vice Provost for Research - Jan Nisbet
Senior Vice Provost for Engagement and Academic Outreach - Julie Williams
Associate Provost for Academic Administration - Leigh Anne Melanson
Dean of the Graduate School - Harry Richards
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts - Kenneth Fuld
Dean of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture - Jon Wraith
Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences - Samuel Mukasa
College of Health and Human Services - Neil Vroman
Dean of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics - Daniel Innis
Dean of the University Library - Sherry Vellucci
Dean (Interim) for UNH Manchester - Sally Ward
Dean and Director of Cooperative Extension - John Pike
Director of Affirmative Action and Equity - Donna Marie Sorrentino
Director of the Carsey Institute - Bruce Mallory
Director of the Earth, Oceans and Space Institute - Harlan Spence
Director of the Marine Program - Jonathan Pennock
Executive Director of the Office for Research Partnerships & Commercialization - Marc Sedam
Director of the Sustainability Academy - Thomas Kelly
University Registrar - Kathie Forbes

Student and Academic Services (4)

Associate Provost for Academic Achievement - Judith Spiller
Dean of Students - M. Anne Lawing
Assistant Vice President for Student and Academic Services - Kevin Charles
Assistant Vice President for Student and Academic Services - Scott Chesney

Finance and Administration (5)

Information Technology -Deb Bronson
Associate Vice President for Finance (Interim) - Joanna Young
Assistant Vice President for Business Affairs - David May
Executive Director for Facilities Services- Larry Van Dessel

President's Office (2)

Athletics - Marty Scarano
Special Assistant to the President Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives - Mica Stark

At-Large Representatives (11)

University Communications - Justin Harmon
Alumni Association - Steve Donovan
Faculty Senate - Ken Flesher, William Berndtson
Undergraduate Student Representative - A.J. Coukos
Graduate Student Representative - Sonic Woytonik
Student Body President/Vice President - Dylan Palmer, Alex Eicher
Extension Educator Council - Julia Peterson
PAT Staff Council - Teri Hurley
Operating Staff Council - Monique Couillard
Town Director of Planning and Community Development - Michael Behrendt
Durham Planning Board Representative - Julian Smith
Strafford Regional Planning Commission - Cynthia Copeland

Campus Master Plan Durham Community Forum - 4/24/2012

• Audio from Forum
• Forum Presentation

PowerPoint presentation converted to PDF
Note: Similar presentation was given at 4/24/2012 open forum held at the MUB

Campus Master Planning Committee Meeting - 4/19/2012

• Meeting Notes

Campus Master Plan Open Forum - 4/17/2012

• Link to video of afternoon open forum held at New Hampshire Hall
• Link to video of afternoon open forum question and comment section

Campus Master Planning Committee Meeting - 2/7/2012

• Meeting Notes
• Forum Presentation

Power Point presentation converted to PDF

Campus Master Planning Committee General Forum - 11/3/2011

• Meeting Notes
• Forum Presentation

PowerPoint presentation converted to PDF

Steering Committee Update on the Center for the Arts Study - 11/3/2011

• Steering Committee Presentation

PowerPoint presentation converted to PDF

These images were developed as part of a presentation to the Campus Master Plan Steering Committee.  They convey some of the important aspects of the 2004 plan as well as the early planning efforts for the 2012 CMP Update.  The new information provided here is very preliminary and focuses on a broad range of CFA goals as well as setting the stage for site alternatives. As the process matures the goals will be refined.  As a result of related site studies Sites  5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 will be considered further.  The next installment of CFA information is anticipated in early December.

Q: Where do our university farms and woodlands and their associated agricultural and forestry infrastructure appear in the Campus Master Plan Update picture?

A: The agricultural programs are still an essential part of our mission and our campus.  We will certainly review with representatives of COLSA the uses of the contiguous campus lands and the extended lands in Durham, Lee, and Madbury during this process, but our emphasis this time around is on things that have changed.  So only where the needs of COLSA will change over the next 20 years will we make any adjustments.

It is our intent that all aspects of the previous plan that are still accurate will be reflected in the updated plan.

Q: What if, in the not too distant future, UNH has 8000-10,000 enrolled undergraduates (mostly female and largely in-state), 1000-1500 graduate students, the same % of students living on campus as today (or a bit higher), no state operating assistance except for a small amount for direct services, and few or no federal grants? What would the campus look like? How could we best plan for it? Should we have a "Plan B"? 

A: The current budget situation, and the ongoing changes that are occurring in higher education are certainly a challenge of this particular planning effort, and we understand how important they are. The space planning component of this master plan will provide a data model with a wide range of variables that will allow us to test different scenarios regarding enrollments (not only University wide but also by college), types of instructional spaces, extent and types of research, staffing and faculty levels, as well as levels of various student life and student service components. It won’t be influenced directly by dollars, but it will be driven by levels of various types of activities that would in essence be determined by dollars. This tool is intended to be used not only as a snap shot in time this year, but can be updated and manipulated with refreshed data every year or few going forward. We expect that this will help answer most of the questions that you pose and many others.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Campus Master Plan?

The UNH Campus Master Plan is a blueprint for the future. It is a comprehensive long-range document intended to guide incremental campus development for the next 10 to 20 years. The Plan looks at infrastructure, space needs and key aspects of campus community setting.

The Plan aims to lay out a framework for responsible and efficient renovation and growth; a path for addressing our space needs while improving the look and feel of our campus and a strategy which ensures we attract and retain the best faculty, staff and students.  The Campus Master Plan is a vision that raises our aspirations – and assists the university in challenging others to support us in that mission financially.  The rate at which the plan is implemented is determined by the availability of funds, but it ensures that when monies do become available for a specific project, there is confidence that it fits into the broader picture of our future.

Where can I find the University of New Hampshire's Master Plan?

The 2012 Campus Master Plan Update and prior 2004 Campus Master Plan can be viewed and downloaded on the University of New Hampshire Campus Master Plan website. 

How is a goal/objective defined and implemented into the Master Plan?

Our plan is addressed to all constituencies of the University—including the residents, business leaders, and policy officials of New Hampshire who look to UNH as a key provider of programs and services that ensure the continued economic and social well-being of our state. More specifically, the plan addresses stakeholder needs from across campus who benefit from the quality and functionality of the built environment in the production, dissemination, and application of knowledge as a public land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant university. All of those addressed have a say in how the University will evolve.

Who decides what is in the new Master Plan? Who approves it?

A Steering Committee, made up of nine members, directs and approves for recommendation to the President of the University the scope of the master plan, the master plan process, and the elements, strategies, and sequences of the plan.  A Campus Master Planning Committee, made up of fifty-two member, represents all aspects of the community, and serves as the sounding board for issues that need to be addressed, and for discussions and presentations of options, considerations, and alternatives. Of the fifty two members the offices include the Steering Committee, Academic Affairs, Student and Academic Services, Finance and Administration, the President’s Office, and many At-Large representatives.

Meetings with various constituent groups to define space needs will take place during the fall semester and the analysis and planning will follow in the spring 2012. To encourage input and feedback from campus and town constituents throughout the process, at least two public forums will be held to share ideas and encourage dialog.  In addition, detailed information will be posted regularly on the Campus Master Plan page and on social media outlets to facilitate participation.

The Campus Master Plan, when completed, is presented by the President and Administration to the Board of Trustees for final approval.

Who is helping the University of New Hampshire with the Master Plan?

A team consisting of UNH Campus Planning staff along with two outside consultants – Architerra Inc. of Boston and JBA1 Inc. of Fort Collins, Colorado, will gather data; evaluate scenarios for consideration; and develop recommendations to the President with the intent of establishing an updated Campus Master Plan by the summer 2012, with Trustee approval projected to occur in fall 2012.

How often is the Master Plan updated?

The Campus Master Plan is updated every five to ten years or as requested by the Trustees and President to reassess current goals and projects.

Why does UNH's master plan have to be updated?

University System of New Hampshire policies require a comprehensive long-range plan that will guide the physical development of an institution for 20 or more years. The University System Board of Trustees last adopted a Campus Master Plan for UNH-Durham in 2004, which was based on analysis and formulation of the plan in 2002.

As a final product the master plan is a comprehensive development strategy that established goals and objectives and incorporated specific building space needs, transportation improvements, land use requirements, and a landscape master plan. This effort looked not only at the core campus, but all of the outlying University properties in Durham, Lee and Madbury.

The consultants, under the direction of the Master Plan Steering Committee, leads the process which includes numerous workshops, public forums, interviews and presentations.

Does UNH have to follow the same rules in regards to planning as the Town of Durham?

The University of New Hampshire, as a part of the University System of New Hampshire, does not come under the land use jurisdictions of the Town of Durham.   Regulations such as zoning and building permits do not apply to projects at the University except as related to the water and sewer systems shared with the Town of Durham.

All projects must conform with State building codes and life safety codes that are current at the time of schematic design submission to the NH State Fire Marshal, who serves as the overall
code enforcement entity. All projects must conform to all other State and Federal regulations
pertaining to site impacts and the building functions. NH State RSA 674:54 does require the University to submit all substantial changes in use, construction, or development of land to the local municipality’s planning board 60 days prior to any construction activity. The planning board may choose to hold a public hearing within 30 days for a presentation and nonbinding comments from the planning board.

What progress has been made since the 2004 Master Plan was published?

The 2004 Campus Master Plan continues to be a sound foundation in its observations, principles, goals, and design guidelines and since that time, many of the projects identified have been completed. The condition of the campus clearly reflects the positive impacts of the planning effort. The Campus Plan website features a “roll-over” showing the projects completed since 2004. 

The dynamic nature of our campus and our educational mission now require the university to review and consider adjustments to the 2004 Plan. These evolving opportunities include:

• The 2010 adoption of a University Strategic Plan, focused on curriculum and teaching with subsequent impact on campus facilities.
• Construction of the Paul College of Business and Economics building will allow the business school to vacate McConnell Hall. Reuse of this sturdy, but worn building is an opportunity to meet some of the many competing needs for better or more suitable space.
• Site selection of graduate student and family housing needs to be readdressed in the context of overall campus development.
• Greater emphasis on interdisciplinary programs and resulting facility implications.
• An updated review of academic programs and student service space requirements is needed to reflect evolving program expectations and shifts in research emphasis and funding.

What are the key topics under discussion in this update of the Campus Master Plan?

• Opportunities for a University Center for the Arts.
• Opportunities for additional graduate and family housing.
• The reuse of McConnell Hall and review of other major academic buildings that are next in line for major renovations.