Student Senators voiced concerns about changes taking place under SMU’s “Campus Master Plan” to make over the university at this week’s Senate meeting on Tuesday in the Hughes-Trigg Forum.
Dubbed “Project 2014” for its deadline in fall 2014, the master plan is “one of largest projects that’s ever taken place on the SMU campus,” said Jay Meister, SMU’s director of project management services.
Implemented in September 2010, the plan’s major developments include five new residence halls, a dining facility, an 800-space parking garage, six intramural tennis courts and renovations to Moody Coliseum.
Other features of Project 2014 include:
• The renovation of Perkins Hall and Smith Hall.
• The conversions of eight existing residence halls.
• The realignment of Airline Road between Dublin Street and Mockingbird Lane.
• The realignment of Potomac Avenue.
• The extension of the campus pedestrian mall to Airline Road and Mockingbird Lane.
• A new pocket park at the southwest and southeast corners of Airline Road and Mockingbird Lane.
• Landscape enhancements to the southeast campus.
• New intramural fields and an informal playing field.
• The relocation of the throwing fields.
• A new university data center.
• An electrical substation.
Following an update on the extensive project from Meister, Student Senate members posed questions regarding how the changes to campus will affect current students.
Simmons Senator Tiffany Hoffman asked Meister if the construction between Moody Coliseum and the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports, where power lines are being moved underground, will be completed in time for May graduation.
Meister said the construction will not be finished until November but will remove the “eyesore” of the utility lines.
“Plus, it improves the reliability of the power service on campus,” Meister said.
Several Student Senators emphasized the need for bike paths on campus. They hope bike lanes can be incorporated into the current master plan, which aims to make SMU a more pedestrian-friendly campus.
“Bishop Boulevard is plenty wide,” Perkins Senator Sam Martinez said. “It would be fairly easy to implement a biking lane on either side.”
Meister said bike paths are part of the on-going design for the pedestrian mall that will run through campus. The new residential commons will also be bike-friendly.
In response to the decrease in parking access surrounding the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports, Executive Director of Recreational Sports William Ehling said Recreational Sports is collaborating with Park ‘N Pony to extend Giddy Up hours from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. The pilot program will extend through the spring semester.
The service is also in the process of purchasing handicapped golf carts to transport handicapped students.
“We’re trying to help those with special needs and time constraints,” Ehling said. “Please don’t avoid us until 2014.”
Dedman I Senator Savannah Stephens asked Meister if SMU will ever be a construction-free campus.
His answer: not any time soon. Meister said students should expect to see a lot of activity on campus between now and April 2014.
“We all have to suffer a little pain for the improvements of the campus,” Meister said. “When we’re done, I think we’ll all see that it’s going to be a great benefit for SMU.”
