Connecticut College

Campus Master Plan

Welcome!

Guided by the priorities and goals of the strategic plan Building on Strength, Connecticut College has commenced a campus master planning process. Building on Strength calls for the college to become a beacon of sustainability through careful stewardship of the College’s physical, natural, and human resources. To achieve this goal, the strategic plan identified three key objectives:

  • Establish principles to guide future campus development reflective of College values
  • Leverage the natural assets of campus and region to advance College’s priorities
  • Improve decision-making, conserve resources, and enhance outcomes through the use of new analytical tools

A steering committee of faculty, staff, and students was brought together over the summer to work with our partners at Sasaki to develop a plan that analyzes the campus from an integrated perspective including the built environment, open space and landscape, mobility and parking, and all aspects of campus life (academic life, student life, residential life, and athletics and recreation). The overarching charge for this effort has been to develop a vision for the future campus; to fully leverage the use of existing resources on campus; and to proactively plan and prioritize future opportunities.

  • Richard Madonna, VP Finance & Administration
  • Trina Learned, Director of Facilities Management and Campus Planning
  • Victor Arcelus, Dean of Students
  • John McKnight, Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusion
  • Jefferson Singer, Dean of the College
  • Abigail Van Slyck, Dean of the Faculty
  • Margaret Bounds, Assistant Director of Sustainability
  • Glenn Dreyer, Director of Arboretum
  • Fran Shields, Director of Athletics
  • Geoffrey Atherton, Faculty – Humanities
  • David Canton, Faculty – History
  • Ann Devlin, Faculty – Psychology
  • David Dorfman, Faculty - Arts
  • Julia Kushigan, Faculty – Humanities
  • Peter Siver, Faculty - Environmental Studies
  • Ariana Pazmino, Student
  • Myles McDevitt, Student
  • Courtney Peyko, Student

Upcoming Events

  • April 26, 2018
    11:00-12:00pm
    Campus Master Plan Drop-In Session
    Fanning Hall Lobby
  • April 26, 2018
    12:30-1:30pm
    Campus Master Plan Drop-In Session
    Crozier Williams College Center Lobby
  • April 26, 2018
    2:30-3:30pm
    Campus Master Plan Drop-In Session
    Shain Library Blue Camel Cafe
  • April 26, 2018
    4:00-5:00pm
    Campus Master Plan Drop-In Session
    Luce Field House Lobby

The strategic plan identified key actions and objectives which are listed below:

Enhancing Academic Distinction

GOAL 1 EDUCATION
  • Create Global Commons (Walter Commons)
  • Continue improving classrooms to support new forms of teaching with technology
GOAL 2 RESEARCH
  • Upgrade research facilities and other spaces in which faculty conduct their work
GOAL 3 ARTS
  • Upgrade Palmer and other spaces for arts as part of the master plan
  • Bolster campus connections to Lyman Allyn Museum

Enriching the Student Experience

GOAL 1 LIFE & CAREER
  • Relocate Career Office to central campus
GOAL 2 CAMPUS LIVING
  • Renovate and expand the college center at Crozier-Williams
  • Advance plan for improving residence halls as part of Master Plan
  • Explore new opportunities for apartment style living
  • Continue expanding spaces and programs that enhance the first year residential experience
  • Develop centralized transportation system
GOAL 3 ATHLETICS
  • Develop a plan for upgrading athletics as part of master plan

Supporting a Diverse, Just and Sustainable Community

GOAL 1 FULL PARTICIPATION
  • Generate near and long term accessibility plans in conjunction with the Master Plan
  • Explore the possibility of a second, accessible pedestrian bridge
GOAL 2 SUSTAINABILITY
  • Undertake a campus-wide master planning process
  • Redouble efforts to spread sustainability across the campus
  • Enhance capacity of arbor as vehicle for teaching and research
  • Open campus access to the Thames River for scholarship and recreation
  • Consider developing a sustainable residential facility as part of master plan
  • Execute space utilization study to inform capital planning
GOAL 3 FINANCIAL STRENGTH
  • Plan and launch a capital campaign in support of the Strategic Plan
  • Develop a l/t budget addressing capital improvements and deferred maintenance
  • Seek collaborative partnerships to improve operations and achieve efficiencies

Process

The master plan process is organized into three phases.

1
Discovery & Analysis
July to October
The planning team will focus on learning about the campus. Strategies include stakeholder interviews and surveys, review of current/previous planning documentation, and analysis of existing conditions on campus.
2
Concept Alternatives
October to February
Working closely with the College, the team will develop alternatives that address the needs identified during Phase 1. The conclusion of Phase 2 will be the selection of the preferred alternative.
3
Implementation & Documentation
February to May
The team will develop a detailed final plan and accompanying implementation strategy, documented in a final master plan.

Resources

After each milestone in the planning process, we will post presentations to the website. Check back soon!

Questions?

We'd love to hear from you!