UA News

An open house to be held during the UA's Earth Day Celebrations on April 22 will provide one of two opportunities to share your input on future campus plans.

Housing for freshmen, graduate students and employees is a key interest among members of The University of Arizona community as well as nearby neighborhoods, according to a consulting firm that is assisting in an update of the Comprehensive Campus Plan.

Three forums on the plan were held Tuesday; two were intended to gather general input while the third focused on UA sustainability efforts.

The Comprehensive Campus Plan update is scheduled for completion by June 2009 and will be presented to the Arizona Board of Regents in August of 2009.

Under the proposed update, the University plans to explore the construction of mixed-use buildings, with housing and parking as well as potential office and research space, along Sixth Street, an area north of the College of Law and in another area south of the Environmental and Natural Resources Building.

Another aspect of the update includes a campus/community farm that could contribute to food used in the campus dining halls and also could be sold to the general public in an effort to combine science, nutrition, food safety, community involvement and sustainability.

The forums were led by representatives from Ayers/Saint/Gross, an architecture design and planning consulting firm that worked with the UA to develop the 2003 Comprehensive Campus Plan. The firm has been retained for the update, which the Arizona Board of Regents requires to ensure structured, functional and sustainable growth.

The first forum covered University sustainability issues as they relate to current and future activities to make the campus more environmentally friendly.

"The fact that there are so many programs on campus with an emphasis on sustainability shows the commitment and potential to do more," said Carolyn Krall, project director with Ayers/Saint/Gross.

Greater energy and water conservation activities, including harvesting, efficient water fixtures and an investment in solar and potentially wind energy, were discussed. The group also talked about the unique qualities of the UA campus and cited the UA Visitor Center as an example, calling it a "laboratory for sustainability."

"The campus is a living learning lab through various sustainability projects currently in place," said Richard Eribes, assistant vice president for campus and facilities planning. "We need to continue to share the outcomes and new knowledge and information."

Also attending the meeting were campus planners, representatives from the Campus Arboretum, the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, the Water Resources Research Center and the Campus Sustainability Committee.

Glenn Schrader, chair of the Campus Sustainability Committee, said the work currently being done on campus sustainability is being accomplished through a variety of campus sustainability working groups.

"The Campus Sustainability Web site provides a means for people to connect with the right organization for their needs whether they are a student, a community member or an academic," Schrader said.

Representatives from Ayers/Saint/Gross will host an open house on April 22 during campus Earth Day activities to give UA and Tucson community members an opportunity to provide additional feedback on the update.

The Campus Sustainability Web site will be the host for information on UA Earth Day festivities, which will share sustainability research and University efforts with the Tucson and greater community.

The Web site will also carry a draft of the updated Comprehensive Campus Plan so that members of the UA and Tucson community can review and provide input before it is submitted to UA President Robert N. Shelton and Provost Meredith Hay.