OU held the second of two forums to gauge individuals’ take on how the campus should look in the future.
Student presence was lacking at Wednesday’s open forum to discuss Ohio University's Comprehensive Master Plan 2016.
The event, which was the second held by the university, allowed about 50 members of the OU community to ask questions and provide input on physical changes the Athens campus may undergo in the next 10 years.
Representatives from both OU and Ayers Saint Gross, the university’s consulting firm, fielded suggestions before and after a presentation that showed some of the ways officials are looking toward the campus’ future.
“This interface between the campus and the city is important,” said Kevin Peterson, a representative from Ayers Saint Gross. “We are continuing to get that interface and looking at ways to improve the relationship between the city and campus.”
Areas for suggestion were divided into six sections: open space, campus and Athens, academic and research, student life, preservation and stewardship and mobility and transit.
Each section was accompanied with a map pertaining to each topic and a pros and cons column for participants to provide their feedback.
OU and Ayer Saint Gross hope to have a final plan to give to the Board of Trustees by April 2016, Peterson said.
“We want to make sure we get the right participation in these,” Peterson said. “At each of the workshops we want to make sure we have current occupants represented.”
The largest demographic on campus — students — were noticeably absent from Wednesday’s event.
Stephen Golding, vice president for Finance and Administration, said the university has plans to engage students more in the planning process going forward. This will include “pinpointing groups of people who we want to explicitly invite and participate in the process,” he said.
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“We very much have started investigating opportunities to get students involved and we definitely want their voice,” said Christine Sheets, assistant vice president for Capital and Facilities Planning.
Several faculty and staff members in attendance took the opportunity to give suggestions to OU’s administrators and consultants on a range of issues.
“I'm interested in learning more about the campus and learning more about the university,” said Rachel Cornish, director of external relations for the College of Fine Arts. “The College of Fine Arts has significant issues with facilities so we’re struggling with that, but it’s also an opportunity to see what the university is envisioning for the campus so we’re excited to learn more.”
Representatives from the city, such as city planner Paul Logue, were also present.
Logue said Athens residents also have a vested interest in the future of OU’s campus.
“Some of the comments I've had with people have informed some of the things that we can be working on in the city,” he said of the two forums. “From the city perspective, most citizens that I've heard from (are) usually concerned about the quality and the look of the edges of campus where they intersect with the city.”
The next step for consultants and OU officials is to hold what they call “precinct workshops,” which will split up the university into sections based on greens and other factors.
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