2.5 Academic Facilities: Goals, Objectives, and Policies

2.5 Academic Facilities Element

Goals, Objectives and Policies

2005-2015 Campus Master Plan Update

GOAL 1: To provide modern, well-equipped academic facilities on campus sufficient to meet general requirements of state-of the-art instruction in all of its various programs.

OBJECTIVE 1.1: The University must provide modern, well-equipped classrooms on campus, sufficient to meet general requirements of state-of-the-art instruction in all of its various programs.

POLICY 1.1.1: The University will seek to increase its classroom inventory by an average of at least 7,500 net square feet per year and thereby achieve a minimum classroom increase of 75,000 net square feet by the year 2009.

POLICY 1.1.2: While keeping pace with enrollment growth via the addition of future classrooms, the university will seek whenever possible to eliminate the use of leased classrooms, both on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood, especially “temporary” and/or modular structures never intended to provide a long-term approach to the problem of shortages. This will require an increase of the classroom inventory by 20,000 net square feet beyond the increase required by enrollment growth.

POLICY 1.1.3: The University shall apply space use standards established in Rule Chapter 6A-2, F.A.C., to determine future classroom building programs and to plan the renovation of existing classrooms to optimize existing classroom space.

OBJECTIVE 1.2: The University must provide teaching laboratories sufficient to meet the specialized requirements of instruction in all of its various programs, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

POLICY 1.2.1 The University will seek to increase its teaching laboratory inventory by approximately 8,000 net square feet per year.

POLICY 1.2.2: The University shall apply space use standards established in Rule Chapter 6A-2, F.A.C., to determine future teaching laboratory building programs and to plan the renovation of existing teaching laboratories to optimize existing laboratory space.

OBJECTIVE 1.3: The University must provide research laboratories sufficient to meet the needs of scholarship by undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty in all of its various programs.

POLICY 1.3.1 The University will seek to increase its research laboratory inventory by an average of at least 15,000 net square feet per year.

POLICY 1.3.2: The University shall apply space use standards established in Rule Chapter 6A-2, F.A.C., to determine future research laboratory building programs and to plan the renovation of existing teaching laboratories to optimize existing laboratory space.

POLICY 1.3.3: The University shall consider placing future research facilities not essential to undergraduate education, as funding is available, in the area just east of the arboretum.

OBJECTIVE 1.4: The University must provide state-of-the-art Library facilities and Library resources sufficient to support the instruction of its undergraduate and graduate students as well as scholarship by its students and faculty.

POLICY 1.4.1: The University will seek to increase its library inventory by building above the bookstore next to the current library, and to consider such possibilities as off-campus storage systems.

OBJECTIVE 1.5: To establish the timing and phasing of development of future academic space on campus.

POLICY 1.5.1: Final authority for planning is vested in the University President, acting upon advice with the President's Advisory Staff (PAS). The PAS includes the five divisional Vice Presidents, and the Faculty Senate President. The University President also receives input on all master planning issues from the Chair of the University Master Planning Committee (see Appendix A).

POLICY 1.5.2: With regard to the timing and phasing of developments of future academic space on the main campus, the university will seek to include in its ongoing Capital Improvement Plan at least one future major academic building each year, for at least the next ten years.

OBJECTIVE 1.6: To set priorities for the development of future academic buildings.

POLICY 1.6.1: The specific priorities for development of future academic facilities shall be, in essence, those reflected in the draft ten-year Capital Improvement Plan presented elsewhere in this document (see Section 2.14, “Capital Improvements Element”). While this plan is subject to any necessary changes depending on circumstances (e.g., the available PECO funding--see next item), the general order in which the various Projects are listed shall be the order of priorities of the corresponding developments.

POLICY 1.6.2: The Capital Improvements Element shall be reviewed annually and amended as needed to reflect any changes to the timing and phasing requirements and priorities for the construction of academic facilities.

OBJECTIVE 1.7: To estimate the funding necessary for the development of future academic facilities.

POLICY 1.7.1: Allocations of funds for the development of future academic facilities shall be, insofar as possible, those reflected in the draft Capital Improvement Plan (see Section 2.14, “Capital Improvements Element”). Requests for PECO funds for each of the major academic projects cited in Objective 5 shall generally be in the range from $12 million to $16 million.

POLICY 1.7.2: Administrative procedures for the integration into the master plan of unforeseen academic facilities that may arise from grant awards, accelerated funding or other circumstances shall be as described in the following summary. Broadly, final authority for planning is invested in the University President, acting with advice from the President’s Advisory Staff (PAS). The PAS includes the five divisional Vice Presidents and the Faculty Senate President. The University President also receives input on all master planning issues from the Chair of the University Master Planning Council (UMPC). (Refer to Appendix A).

OBJECTIVE 1.8: To define appropriate locations for future academic buildings.

POLICY 1.8.1: As shown in the Future Land Use and Urban Design Elements, sufficient space exists in the academic core to accommodate future academic buildings for the time horizon of this Master Plan. Future academic facilities shall be shown as identified in Figure 5.1.

POLICY 1.8.2: With regard to the locations for future academic buildings, the university will seek to meet the requirements of growth while maintaining an environmentally pleasing and inviting place in which all of its students, faculty and staff can learn, teach and work.

OBJECTIVE 1.9: To encourage energy efficiency and conservation techniques in all future facilities.

POLICY 1.9.1 In order to encourage energy efficiency and conservation techniques in all future facilities, these issues shall be a centerpiece of design processes. Specifics in this regard will be as outlined elsewhere in the present document (cf. Section 2.14, “Capital Improvements Element”).

In particular, future buildings shall comply with the criteria and specifications as stated in the Florida Energy Code, Section 8.