Implementation Plan: Student Experience and Capacity Studies

Capacity Study

DUE FEB. 1, 2025

• The Provost will task the Chief Enrollment Management Officer (CEMO), working with the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA), to build an initial enrollment plan for the next 5-7 years that keeps the total number of new undergraduates each year at the university to 15,000 as recommended with adjustments in and among colleges.
• The Provost and VPSA will ensure that any additional budgetary needs for the following specific offices based on capacity constraints in their FY26 budget request to the Strategic Budget Council (SBC): Disability Resources, Career Center, Student Life and the Academic Success Center. The current budget process will determine allocation of resources.
• The Vice President for Planning, Assessment and Strategy will update the SBC on the changes in student-to-academic advisor ratio based on investments made in FY25 and identify the additional need. The SBC has already agreed to continue investing over the next two years to lower the ratio to 275:1.

DUE MARCH 15, 2025

• The Provost, working with the CEMO, COO, CFO and the deans, will develop an initial high-level, 10-year enrollment forecast, inclusive of estimated revenue and expenses. In addition, this initial forecast should be expanded with more details, including infrastructure needs, faculty and staff plans, and needed transit changes by Dec. 31, 2025.
• The COO will develop a plan, working with students and the local community, to create safer connections to campus, starting with the plan for University Drive.
• The COO and CFO will identify the resources and place an order for 8-10 additional new buses for campus. It is recognized the lead time for new buses is 12-18 months.
• The Provost, working with the Faculty Senate, Registrar and Student Government, will develop a plan to implement an offset start time for classes on West Campus that could be put into practice for the spring 2026 semester.
• The Provost will conduct a department-by-department needs assessment for new faculty lines and project required funding over the next five years to address this teaching and research requirement. The Provost also will work with deans on the use of available resources in colleges for faculty hiring to address needs. The SBC will prioritize up to $3 million in new base budget allocations each of the next five years along with the necessary startup funds to be matched by colleges and departments.
• The Provost will submit a proposal to the CFO for a faculty retention program, inclusive of how the FY25 pilot program allocation of $2.5 million was utilized. The SBC will consider the proposal for continued funding.
• The Provost will develop broad university guidelines on the assignment of office space to ensure that every college has a policy in place, but the university will not move forward with a single university policy nor implement a process for charging for space at this time.

DUE APRIL 30, 2025

• The Vice President for Planning, Assessment and Strategy, working with the University Architect (UA), Provost, Registrar, colleges and the Student Government Association, will develop a Program of Requirements for a new classroom building on the West Campus and submit it to the Executive Facilities Committee. A preliminary budget has been identified for this project.
• The Vice President for Research (VPR) will initiate a concept proposal to the Executive Facilities Committee for a new interdisciplinary research building, presenting a strategy for encouraging research collaboration across disciplines similar to the current Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building. The VPR will work with the Provost, UA and the colleges on the research programs that should be planned for this facility, proposing a scope for square footage estimated project costs and a funding plan.
• The Dean of the College of Engineering will initiate a concept proposal to the Executive Facilities Committee for a new engineering building to address the highest needs of the college, including an estimate of square feet, project costs and a funding plan. This plan needs to address the planned release of current space held by Engineering in Sbisa Dining Hall and the Engineering Activities Buildings.
• The COO will initiate a concept proposal to the Executive Facilities Committee for a second General Services Complex for administrative office needs that would address off-campus lease spaces and other administrative needs, including an estimate of square footage project costs and a funding plan.

DUE JUNE 30, 2025

• The COO will task the UA, working with the Provost, VPSA, University Health Services, the West Campus colleges, the SGA and the Residence Hall Association (RHA), on a west campus development plan to site new facilities and sequence the order of those new facilities. This plan will provide updates to the Campus Master Plan.
• The VPSA will work with the CFO, COO, UA, SGA and RHA on a plan to add a minimum of 2,500 additional beds in on-campus housing, including presenting the concept, funding strategy and proposed timeline for new residence halls/apartments to the Executive Facilities Committee.
• The COO, working with the CFO, VPSA, Commandant, Chartwells and SGA, will present a plan with cost estimates, funding plan and timeline to expand on-campus dining facilities by an estimated 28,000 square feet to the Executive Facilities Committee.
• The Associate Vice President for University Health Services will form a task force that includes representatives from the COO, VPSA, Human Resources and Organization Effectiveness, CFO and SGA to review the current facilities and operations and present a plan to the President for the future of University Health Services.

DUE AUG. 31, 2025

• The COO, working with the Vice President for Technology Services, Provost, VPSA, Registrar, Health Science Center leadership, University Center & Special Events, Office of Community Engagement, Athletics and SGA, will make a recommendation on a room scheduling solution for campus, considering all needs.

DUE JUNE 30, 2026

• The COO will evaluate additional mass transit solutions for campus after implementing some shorter term, lower cost solutions that are referenced in this report, including the move of the bus transit hub, the offset schedule, the acquisition of new buses, and the West Campus master plan updates. The COO will make recommendations to the Executive Facilities Committee for modifications to the Mobility Master Plan in the Campus Master Plan.

For additional information and context on these actions items, view the final Capacity Study report.

Student Experience Study

DUE MARCH 31, 2025

• The Vice President for Planning, Assessment and Strategy has established a survey advisory committee and will roll out a process for managing surveys and access to data for campus.

DUE APRIL 30, 2025

• The Provost will convene a working group that will include representation from the FSEC, the Student Government Association (SGA), the Registrar and the Division of Study Affairs (DSA), to review the academic calendar and ensure adequate time between semesters. The proposed 2025-26 academic calendar allows adequate time without a change in the summer terms, but this must be sustainable in the future

DUE MAY 31, 2025

• The Provost will convene a working group with representation from the FSEC, SGA, Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) and the CFO to develop more robust policies and processes for the adoption of course materials, homework systems, learning management tools and other course resources that students must pay for above required tuition and fees, including a review and potential phase out of the distance education differential tuition for undergraduates.
• The Provost will convene a working group with representation from the deans, Registrar, SGA and academic advisors and counselors to determine any bottlenecks or course availability issues.

DUE AUG. 31, 2025

• The Provost will convene a working group with representation from the DSA, SGA, FSEC and GPSC, to reimagine and integrate the engagement efforts for students from the acceptance of admission to the end of the first year and provide recommendations.
• The COO, working with Transportation Services, the University Police Department and the SGA, will develop a plan to separate pedestrian traffic from wheeled devices (bikes and personal electric vehicles) on major sidewalks across campus, enhance existing regulations on use of sidewalks, improve enforcement of rules and create a safety campaign to raise awareness of expectations on shared use of campus.

For additional information and context on these actions items, view the final Student Experience report.