Last week, Cal Poly released its Master Plan 2035 Environmental Impact Report. The report announced many changes coming to Cal Poly, including new housing requirements and an expansion of the Julian A. McPhee University Union (UU), contrary to the $180 million project students voted against last year.
In the vote conducted through the university’s online portal last year, 58 percent of participants voted “no” on a proposal to add a $597 fee per year to expand the UU.
Although expansion of the UU still appears in the master plan, the plan is conceptual and details on funding for the projects have not been released, according to university spokesperson Matt Lazier. The expansion would add 100,000 square feet of space to the UU.
Also included in the master plan is Vision 2022, the university’s vision for campus by the year 2022. Vision 2022 lays out a plan for campus to be a “vibrant residential community that links academic and social life,” a goal the university plans to achieve by eventually requiring all freshmen and sophomores to live on campus. The plan said Cal Poly is also expecting 30 percent of upperclassmen to be interested in living on campus.
Associate Director of Housing and Director of Facilities Operations Scott Bloom said it’s unknown when sophomores will be required to live on campus. However, he said the year before the rule is enforced, incoming freshmen will be informed that they’ll live on campus for two years.
“I think the overall trend of university housing across the campus and the evaluation of academic success has shown to be greater for students that are living on campus,” Bloom said.
Also outlined in the master plan are plans for off-campus housing for both students and university staff and faculty. There are five locations that have been designated as neighborhoods for non-students: two sites on the southern boundary of campus, one near the University House, one west of Highway One, and the last along the west side of Stenner Creek road. These apartments would be primarily for faculty and staff, but may be offered to other groups such as graduate students, veterans, students with families, alumni and retirees.
In addition to these changes, the master plan said Cal Poly will increase “green space” on campus, expanding Dexter Lawn, adding 4,000 seats to Alex G. Spanos Stadium, and increasing academic and administrative facility space.