University of Connecticut Master Plan

A Campus For Human Beings

This seems the most obvious of the planning principles but, in the end, is the most elusive. In the effort to solve specific problems, from parking to technology infrastructure, from sidewalk improvements to the placement of underground utilities, the question of who is to be served is often compromised. Parking garages are for people, not cars; sidewalks for pedestrians, not snowplows; computers are for learning, not ease of installation; utilities support the buildings, not the maintenance staff. This is not an either/or conundrum, but a search for the appropriate balance among many, sometimes competing, needs. However, the simple question of how effectively all campus decisions serve both human activity and the human spirit is an essential element of the planning process.

Respect What Is

Any planning process begins with an understanding of the existing forces at work in order to create a new plan for the future which builds upon the past. "Respect" in this case does not mean imitation or blind repetition; it is a respect that embraces both the heritage and the future of the University. It is the balance between these often divergent influences that harnesses the power of existing forces in order to serve the future needs of the University. This power is expressed most simply in the momentum of things as they are. The economy of directing it strategically towards the future is an invaluable tool when trying to accomplish a great deal with limited resources.

Everything Is Related: The "Ecology" of Campus Development

Every aspect of the campus is related. There are no decisions that won't affect other decisions and create a "ripple effect" on the campus. Fully understood and applied, this idea is the most powerful tool in realizing campus objectives. The smallest improvement is amplified when it is directly serving the campus mission. This resonance is yet another device to maximize limited resources to maximum effect. The whole becomes much larger than the sum of the parts. At the same time, a failure to attend to this principle has an equally disorienting and disintegrating effect on all development, even the most salutary.

The Life of the Process is Reflected in the Quality of the Plan

There is a relationship between the nature of the process and the quality of the outcome. An open, inclusive process provides a responsive and creative Plan. The effort to focus on opportunities, rather than obstacles, will uncover solutions that serve the larger vision of what the campus can become. The enjoyment of the process will propel a course of discovery in the continuing effort to nourish campus life. This is particularly important as the Plan is administered over subsequent years. There must be a clear and ordered process which provides a strong institutional memory of how the Plan developed and its fundamental goal. Concurrently, new voices in the evolving population of the University should be included to keep the Plan alive.