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February 9, 2001 To: THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY From: John B. Simpson, Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Re: Update on Campus Planning As a public institution, the University of California has long been committed to ensuring the citizens of California affordable access to a quality higher education. Projected student demand is unprecedented, and the University anticipates the need to enroll about 211,000 students by 2010--about 60,000 more students than were enrolled in 1999-2000. In light of UC's obligations to the citizens of California, all campuses were asked to develop ways to accommodate these additional students--including expanding on-campus enrollments during the fall-winter-spring quarters, increasing summer enrollments, enrolling students in more off-campus programs and regional centers, improving students' time-to-degree, and using technology as a means to expand the potential for any of the options selected to accommodate students. The Santa Cruz campus was asked to look at the feasibility of enrolling 16,900 students by 2010-11, about 1,900 FTE above the enrollment targets included in the campus' 1989 long range development plan (LRDP); the analogous incremental targets at other UC campuses vary between 2,500 and 4,000 FTE. The task that faces us--as well as all UC campuses--is to plan for this growth in such a way that the vitality and quality of our academic programs is not only maintained, but also enhanced. The new partnership agreement between UC and the Governor provides the budgetary predictability we need to plan with confidence. And, with the advice of our colleagues in the Academic Senate, we have a planning process and advisory structure in place to help us work together to define our future as we meet our historic commitment to provide Californians affordable access to a high quality higher education.  As a result of record high applications across the system for fall 2001, we were informed last week that each campus would be required to enroll more students in 2001-02 than originally anticipated in order that the University be in a position to maintain its historic commitments to access under the California Master Plan for Higher Education. Under the partnership agreement with the Governor, the Office of the President is working with the State to increase the operating resources for 2001-02 in proportion to this increased student demand. At this point, it is not clear whether this record student interest will require UC to grow beyond its 2010-11 enrollment targets or simply accelerates the timing of growth already projected over the next decade. The good news is that UC Santa Cruz is tops in the UC system for one-year increases (over 19%) in freshman applications and the diversity of its prospective freshman (applications from historically underrepresented students increased by 31%). Our success in becoming a campus of choice for the increasing number of college-bound students will enable us to enhance quality as we grow to 15,000 students by 2005-06 consistent with the long-range plans developed in consultation with our surrounding community. Over the last several weeks, Interim Vice Provost George Brown and I have begun meeting with faculty to learn more about departmental plans and aspirations and to continue the campus-wide conversation about growth. During these visits, we are becoming aware of the questions many of you have regarding growth and the planning that is underway to specifically address this growth.  While we have far fewer students as we enter the 21st century than envisioned by our founders, the accelerated growth over the next several years will present a challenge for our academic departments as well as for those who provide academic support services. Together we need to explore ways to build upon the visions of individual academic departments while encouraging collaboration and innovative thinking that will distinguish UC Santa Cruz as an outstanding public research university that engages students and faculty across the disciplines. I am pleased to report that we have undertaken, after extensive and ongoing consultation with the Academic Senate, deans, and vice chancellors, key efforts to define strategically the character of our programs (i.e., "what" we will be), the facilities in which they will be housed (i.e., "where"), and the timeline for their development (i.e., "how and when"). I am appreciative of the efforts of my Academic Senate colleagues in reviewing the proposals to modify the administrative decision making structures and to work with us to put in place a planning process that will help us to achieve our goals. Academic Planning. As detailed in my December 22nd letter to principal officers, academic and academic support divisions are expected to outline the major elements of their long-range plans by mid-March. Deans and vice chancellors will articulate their vision for excellence within individual departments, and demonstrate how these unit plans will enhance campus-wide goals and leverage opportunities such as State-supported summer instruction and off-campus centers (e.g., the Silicon Valley Center proposal), as well as accommodate on-campus growth. After appropriate consultation, we expect these plans to be fully fleshed out by March 2002. The call letter was shared with the campus because we felt it was critical to engage the entire campus community as we strive to enhance excellence in our existing units as we weave in strategies to accommodate some of the increased student demand during the summer as well as at the proposed Silicon Valley Center. From these plans, we will be able to derive specificity about the resource, technology, and facilities needs of the campus. But more importantly, through a detailed discussion of these plans within the campus' administrative and Academic Senate committee structure, we expect to explore ways to combine the individual themes of unit plans into opportunities for cross-departmental and interdisciplinary partnerships that will maintain UC Santa Cruz's leadership in existing areas and propel it into new areas of distinction. Chancellor Greenwood and I have great confidence in the ability of our deans and vice chancellors to lead the campus through this process to develop a single plan that will ensure academic excellence. Master and Facilities Planning. Through the appointment of a task force consisting of Senate and administrative membership, the campus will explore the physical capacity of our land, develop master planning principles, and examine the assumptions contained in our campus LRDP. This effort will help us match the goals of our academic plan with our physical resources and formulate strategies for securing the necessary facilities to match the expansion. This long-range effort will be accompanied both by a review of our current 5-year capital outlay program and the abundant data that supports this plan, which is updated annually, as well as a thorough investigation of our current space. The campus has near-term space issues--for faculty and student housing as well as teaching and research space--that can be addressed while the long-range academic and physical plans are under development. We will: 1) use the information gathered through the planning process to gain a greater understanding of our current and future space needs; 2) explore the utilization of our existing space and develop principles and strategies to ensure the most efficient use of our space; and 3) develop near-term and longer-term ways to address our critical space needs (e.g., improve utilization, renovate/modernize, off-campus leasing, new State or private construction). As you may know, we are working hard to develop additional on-campus housing for faculty; in the near term a committee as been convened to explore the plan for new faculty and student housing, likely in Inclusion Area D. Additional planning is occurring with respect to faculty and staff housing in areas of the north campus and other prospective on- and off-campus sites. With respect to student housing, in fall 2000 we opened 300 student spaces at the College Nine apartments. Construction is underway to deliver 560 additional student bed spaces for fall 2001 and we have just signed a 10-year lease for 250 beds at the Holiday Inn. Integrated Planning. The Provost's Advisory Council (PAC), consisting of Academic Senate leadership and senior campus administrative and academic officers, together with its advisory committees will bring together the various elements of these plans. PAC is charged with providing the administration with an integrated perspective on issues and alternatives facing the campus--a forum where plans for academic programs are integrated with issues related to academic support services, facility and infrastructure, information technology, and the welfare of our faculty, staff, and students. This strategic planning effort will involve both near-term decisions--as outlined in my call for 2001-02 resource requests and faculty recruitment proposals--as well as multi-year plans.  Chancellor Greenwood and I encourage you to stay abreast of the campus' planning efforts, to work with your dean and department chairs or vice chancellor and unit managers to shape the vision and goals for your unit, and to contribute your informed suggestions to the campus-wide process. You can access all the major planning documents, committee agendas, and meeting notes at the PAC site . I appreciate the challenges that lie ahead and welcome your participation. I remain confident that, together, we can meet the demands of growth while enhancing the excellence of our academic programs. Sincerely, John B. Simpson Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
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