Since UW-Madison's first class met Feb. 5, 1849, the university has only grown-in square feet, students, faculty, majors and public involvement. Growing is still the top priority, according to UW-Madison Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Management Alan Fish and Director of Planning & Landscape Architecture Gary Brown, as they unveiled the draft of the UW-Madison Campus Master Plan Tuesday at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
By 2025, the Campus Master Plan proposes to rebuild dysfunctional buildings, preserve and create open space, provide a utility master plan and continue creating an efficient transportation system. The primary difference between this Master Plan and others in the past is the amount of community involvement, something Fish said is essential to its success.
\We've always cared about community input, but this time we certainly tried to emphasize it, to take it to higher levels,"" Fish said. ""We want to continue the rich dialogue ... Community and student input is important, especially when it can affect the plan.""
There have been 175 meetings regarding the Campus Master Plan, one-third of which have been open to the public, and through these meetings and the Campus Master Plan website, more than 500 community comments have been brought to Fish and Brown's attention.
One aspect of the plan is to increase efficiency in crossing Regent St. from the south side of campus. The primary reason this action is taking place is due to requests by students and residents living in the Greenbush and Vilas neighborhoods, Fish said.
The draft is now open for public comment.
""This really is a collaborative effort,"" Brown said. ""We've spent a lot of time in the neighborhoods and with students. It's exciting for everyone ... and interactive.""
UW-Madison spokesperson Dennis Chaptman said the draft needed to be released because its details are finalized and it is a complete product for the public's viewing.
Fish said, to his surprise, that community members support the increase in first-year housing from 6,600 to 7,500 beds. Also included in the plan is constant campus growth, but keeping the same campus boundaries. Increased open space was emphasized because Brown said as the campus becomes denser, open space is more of a necessity. However, all aspects of the campus Master Plan are important, according to Fish.
""We've never gotten smaller in 150 years ... and we're not going to stop now,"" he said.
