Forum on student facilities

October 28, 2002

Public forum describes tomorrow's student facilities

UCSC students, staff, and faculty convened on October 23 at the Bay Tree Bookstore to discuss a variety of proposed building projects that could improve student facilities in the coming years.

A team of consultants led by San Francisco-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) presented preliminary plans for a revamped Quarry Plaza, a new indoor recreation/events center, a new playing field, improvements to the Upper Quarry Amphitheater, and various projects to improve access to these new facilities.

The consultants presented a variety of alternative sites and sizes for a new recreation/events center that would be used for concerts, athletic events, lectures, and multiple recreational activities. They examined three different building sizes with seating capacities of 3200, 2600, and 2200. The two proposed sites for the new building were along Hagar Drive, west of the lower east fields, or at the OPERS area, where the existing gym would fit into a part of the new events center.

Based on feedback from workshops and student focus groups conducted last spring, the consulting team proposed a new 90,000-square-foot Student Union building that would tie into Quarry Plaza, creating more places to sit and gather, as well as more space for all of the campus student organizations. "The average size campus student union across the country is 10 square feet per student," noted Terry Glanville, a facilities planner from Washington, D.C. "At UCSC, the current size is .062."

A new playing field above the East Remote Parking Lot—possibly with artificial turf to allow more varied and intense use for field sports, as well as festivals, concerts, and commencement ceremonies--was also proposed. New restrooms, lighting, some fixed bleacher seating, and concession areas would complement the field.

Improvements to the Upper Quarry amphitheater would include improved seating, lighting, and accessibility, as well as a canopy for the stage area that could extend out and shade a significant portion of the audience.

Several participants in the public forum questioned whether plans for the new recreation/events center were ambitious enough. "I think we need to kick it up to at least a capacity of 4,000," said William Ladusaw, professor of linguistics and Cowell College provost. "I think we would easily fill it up at the next Martin Luther King symposium." Ladusaw pointed out that a larger facility could also be utilized for college graduations and class assemblies.

"Santa Cruz is already overburdened with people," added Merrill Kruger, a senior environmental studies/philosophy major. "I personally think getting a larger facility would better meet the needs of the campus in the future as the population increases."

Kruger also expressed support for a significant new student union area. "I’m concerned about the decentralization of campus," she said. "There’s no central place for things to occur. It’s hard for people coming from off campus to find where the heart of the campus is."

Other comments expressed at the forum included concerns about parking, pedestrian flow, and tailoring new structures to fit in with the current campus layout in both an aesthetic and ecological manner.

"It was very exciting for us to see some visual conceptualizations of our committee meetings and focus group discussions," noted Associate Vice Chancellor Gail Heit. "We are now ready to get more specific program information from students through a survey that will be available online in early November."

The public forum was part of an area planning and feasibility study process to link the long-range campus plan with various student life facilities projects. The information that was presented will be posted at www2.ucsc.edu/sadiv/slfa/.

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