Dr. Edward H. Hammond, FHSU president, unveiled a comprehensive update to the university master plan for faculty and staff during a special meeting Wednesday afternoon in the Memorial Union.

The proposed plan, which would be used to plan future growth of the FHSU campus, now goes to the Kansas Board of Regents for consideration at its September meeting.  The revised master plan considers five distinct areas of campus: the Quad, the South Academic Precinct, the West Academic Precinct, the West Campus and the South Residential Precinct.  Below are highlights of the proposed plan for each area.

The Quad

• Rarick Hall is in need of interior renovations.
• The Old Power Plant is recommended for renovation and continued use as an academic building or art gallery.
• Future expansion of the Memorial Union could provide for additional event space and meeting rooms.

The South Academic Precinct

• To improve pedestrian safety and to better connect the academic buildings in the South Precinct to the Quad, South Campus Drive between College and Lyman Drive is recommended for closure and replacement with a pedestrian-only mall.
• Construction of the new Center for Networked Learning will allow removal of the Center for Media Studies (formerly Heather Hall), creating a stronger campus setting between Forsyth and Malloy.

The West Academic Precinct

• The facilities services complex and the President’s Residence may eventually be relocated to allow a better use of this centrally located area of campus.
• New academic facilities would provide a better connection for residents coming from West Campus housing across the proposed Big Creek bridge onto the central campus.
• Removal of the facilities complex would allow for expansion of the parking areas west of the Memorial Union.
• Another new parking area west of Stroup Hall would offset the loss of parking from the South Campus Drive closure.

The West Campus

• The 60 acres north of Gustad Drive have been identified as the site for new student housing to replace the existing housing in Wiest Residence Hall.
• A third pedestrian bridge across Big Creek is recommended to provide a direct walkway from the new housing site to the Quad.
• An improved Gustad Drive would provide potential locations east and west of Big Creek for an International House.
• The West Campus will also accommodate future housing beyond the initial 400-bed community, plus a long-range relocation site for the facility services complex currently located west of the Union.
• Other recommended improvements include an addition to Cunningham Hall and a site for a new childcare facility, relocating the Tiger Tots facility currently located in Rarick Hall.

The South Residential Precinct

• A future residence hall is recommended on the current Wiest site to take advantage of the dining capacity available in the McMindes dining facility.
• The Wiest site will provide surplus parking for this area of campus.