Summary
The
following highlights the items discussed throughout the two-day
work session, providing an overview by topic.
Residential
Program
projections based on interviews with UNR projected a conservative
number of beds for students. Upon further discussion, the master
plan will reflect projections of Current at 22%, Horizon 1 at
35%, and Horizon 2 at 50%. Both the university and the private
sector would provide housing. The 50% residential ratio is for
students only. Future program projections will include allowances
for faculty and staff.
Research
Space
As
with residential projections, research space projections were
conservative. Discussions indicated that more research space should
be allocated. Research space addresses three needs:
•
Research space aligned with academic program; i.e. high student
involvement.
Such space is associated with core academic uses
•
Research space associated with the medical school. Such space
will be located in the area of the medical school facilities.
•
Research space associated with low student ratios, higher levels
of security clearance, and public-public and public-private partnerships.
Such uses do not have a strong academic affinity and can be located
outside the core academic areas of the campus.
Meeting
with the City on the
Proposed Mixed Use Development South of I-80
Sasaki
will meet with City staff to present and discuss opportunities
to form a partnership between the city, the university and the
community in an effort to improve the quality of life around the
university and to create initiatives for private and public development.
The sessions emphasized campus opinion regarding the fact that
community members don't feel comfortable visiting the campus.
The campus community agreed they want people to feel they are
part of the university. Everyone agrees that there are few opportunities
for shopping and dining in close proximity to the university.
It was suggested that the only good off-campus lunch venue is
the Record Street Café.
Judicial
College and National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Concern
was raised during Open Meeting #3 over the relationship between
these two organizations and the University. A work session participant
stated that if space was not created for these organizations,
then they would leave the Reno area. UNR would lose the status
as a center of judicial education and Reno would lose the economic
development impact of these organizations. This conflicted with
the findings of the consultant interviews regarding space needs.
Conference
Center
In
Open Meeting #3 the public raised a question over whether or not
a conference center was in the master plan. There is no conference
center in the master plan as of now.
Housing
Offices and Link to Private Sector
The
public and student representatives expressed concern that there
was not an easily accessible transportation service on campus
that links the students to private rental housing information
in the area. They requested that a Housing Office be created in
order to support a more residential campus. Later, in response,
the university stated that the Residential Life Office has this
role.
Lack
of Public Space Outdoors
The
public, especially the students, raised the concern that there
is not enough public space outdoors to foster community interaction.
The President's Council agreed and the consultants will explore
the integration of open space into the alternatives.
Walkability
The time
interval between classes is an issue in the expansion of campus.
Each scheme has it's disadvantage in terms of accommodating 10
or 15 minute change of class schedules.
Student Hub
Student
representatives raised the concern that all the concepts (especially
#1 and #2) challenged one central student hub and that they would
like to see more gathering spaces on campus. With a 20,000+ student
body however, there would most likely be at least two student
hubs with additional gathering spaces distributed throughout the
campus.
Parking
The
master plan estimated land need based on parking projections being
addressed by 50% in structure and 50% in surface parking. Some
participants expressed concern if this planning effort (as well
as the Mid-Campus Master Plan) addressed ADA access sufficiently.
The consultants indicated that the master plan will reflect ADA
requirements and will carry the spirit of ADA through universal
design. The goal of the parking and transportation plan centers
around equal accessibility for all involved. The master plan will
promote walkability and bicycle use on the campus. More pedestrian
connections from east and west need to be created and are included
in the alternatives. The discussion of access brought to mind
the potential need to possibly create pedestrian zones that have
alternative managed means of access for vehicles. The consultants
will study this as they develop the alternatives
Alumni
Development Center
A
new facility that would replace Ross Hall facing the historic quad
was discussed in response to the expressed need for a facility to
accommodate development (donor funding) needs.
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