The Framework Plan 2016 is meant to provide a vision for future physical growth over the next 20 years. That vision supports the academic mission and aligns with strategic plans, maintains and enhances the St. Olaf property, and enhances sustainability features employed by the College. It allows the college to respond to development opportunities in a thoughtful manner rather than reacting to a situation.
This has been a 12-month project involving over 60 people participating on the framework leadership team, steering committee, and user groups including several community members. We engaged Ryan Shepherd’s soc/anthro class to survey students about what works in campus spaces, what they would like to see improved, and what kinds of spaces are missing on campus. Professor Shepherd then also surveyed her faculty peers about these same aspects of teaching spaces. Over 400 people responded to these surveys. We held six open fora for faculty, staff, and students and posted these proceedings online for those who couldn’t attend in person. And we’ve provided updates to the Buildings and Grounds Committee as part of their regular meeting schedule.
Framework Plan 2016 is meant to be flexible in that the solutions can be mixed, matched, and implemented as funding sources and opportunities are identified. The plan integrates capital planning with improvement opportunities for facilities development, land use, open spaces, circulation, and resiliency and sustainability. The plan is comprehensive in that we’ve reviewed all aspect of our physical infrastructure and what happens in those spaces, who’s using the spaces and when they’re being used, and then compared that information to industry comparisons for institutions that are similar in size and culture and the College’s own physical planning guidelines.
This Framework Plan 2016 was adopted by the Board of Regents at the October 7, 2016 board meeting.