Ball State is asking students and staff what makes them proud to be a part of Ball State — and what they would like to change.
A comprehensive campus master plan is in the works, compiling input from students and faculty to develop strategic goals and guiding priorities and principles for university facilities.
In an email sent out to students, Randy Howard, who is spearheading the effort, said the university needs student input to make this initiative successful.
“When it comes to planning for the future of our campus, you are the experts,” the vice president of Business Affairs and treasurer said in the email. “Students’ thoughts about how we can develop facilities that are attractive and helpful to them will be invaluable in this process.”
Bernie Hannon, associate vice president of Business Affairs and assistant treasurer, said the university has not done a comprehensive master plan in a number of years, and it was time to put one together. It is not known yet if Ball State will have a schedule of master plans in the future.
“The master plan is overdue,” he said. “We break campus up into different parts [and make plans], but we haven’t had a fully comprehensive plan for quite a while. It was time for one.”
Hannon said the master plan differs from a strategic plan, which Ball State puts together every five years. A master plan is focused on the physical state of the university, such as how the campus will look and what kind of academic spaces are necessary. A strategic plan is made up of policies that drive the direction and vision of the university.
In addition to the strategic plan, Ball State also develops academic plans.
Hannon said the three — strategic, academic and master campus — plans are similar in that they all make goals for the future of the university and they can help Ball State respond to questions from the Higher Learning Commission regarding accreditation.
Ball State has hired SmithGroupJJR to conduct the conversation. Consultants are running the open house sessions and online forum to compile feedback from students and faculty.
The committee’s initial recommendations are due in the fall. They will refine the drafts during the winter, and the final plan will be complete in May 2014.
Students and faculty have the opportunity to share their opinions at open houses this week, focus groups and an online forum.
At masterplan.bsu.edu, students can sign in and join the online conversation to answer the same questions asked in the open forum sessions.
Students can comment on each other’s ideas or click to vote whether they like the idea or not. The site lists that it will be open for input for 54 more days.
Monday was the first day of the open house sessions, with one hosted in the Atrium.
Michael Johnson, an urban designer at SmithGroupJJR, said he was excited about the level of feedback provided by students and faculty, who both spoke with consultants on site and answered questions on large display boards.
“We have chosen questions that are open-ended in nature,” Johnson said. “We want to get a sense of the campus and what people are thinking about. We like to set up an informal setting and catch people in their daily activities.”
Junior photojournalism major Jesse Etsler, who gave his feedback in the Atrium, said between his time at Burris Laboratory School and Ball State, he has been in the community for 13 years.
He suggested more open areas where people can interact and have conversations.
“It’s almost like the campus is too streamlined, so you can go exactly where you need to go and go home,” he said. “What pops up overall on these boards is a need for community. Anyone who has spent time in Muncie knows it doesn’t seem like there is a nice, cohesive community.”
Etsler said he was glad to hear about Ball State asking for student input to better campus.
“At least this is an attempt for a sense of community and effort,” he said. “It [is] irresponsible to say Ball State is as good as it could get.”
