The University offered community members another opportunity to comment on campus development plans on Monday.
The Office of Institutional Support Services held two Master Plan open houses in the SUB — one for faculty, students and staff and one for the surrounding neighbors — to get input on the plan’s framework before the Master Plan is up for approval at the Sept. 29 Regents meeting.
The office also posted the plans online for comment until Sept. 11. Over 100 people commented online on topics ranging from sustainability to child care.
Steve Beffort, vice president for Institutional Support Services, said the University has sought input from the UNM community in a variety of ways.
“We understand that there is a sense of some of the people that we haven’t listened to them enough, that they are not being adequately heard,” he said. “We have been taking comments online and at other meetings. This is just one more attempt to broaden the base of opinions.”
Representatives from Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, the architecture firm that developed the Master Plan, were also at the open houses to discuss the plan with passersby.
Will Gleason, a DPS associate, said the plan is only meant to be a framework for the
University’s development.
“You don’t start building a house without plans, you don’t start remodeling a house without plans, and the campus is a big complex remodel,” Gleason said. “So you need to have some overall guidance that helps direct individual projects. It doesn’t mean it determines what every single project is going to be, but it
provides a framework for growth.”
ASUNM senator Marina Weisert said at the open house that development is important to the well-being of the University.
“I know some people feel uncomfortable with change — change sometimes can be scary — but really we need to grow as a top research institute. I think it’s essential,” she said.
UNM student Iain Deason said he supports the University’s efforts in sharing its plan with the community.
“I’m supportive of the Master Plan in the way that they are trying to shape the University, trying to elevate the status to more of a holistic learning environment, which right now it kind of lacks,” he said.
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*To see the Master Plan and comments, visit
frem.unm.edu/PCD*
