UB students can view their changing campus on 29 "Building UB" poster boards currently on display at three different on-campus sites until March 1.
The Comprehensive Master Plan Exhibit outlines the research and general ideas of the UB 2020 project. Scheduled improvements to be made to the three campuses are available in the display.
The exhibits are on the first floor of the Capen Undergraduate Library and in Abbot Hall on North Campus, and also on South Campus in the lobby of Hayes Hall and in the Health Sciences Library.
"What this exhibit is about involves creating the physical facilities and amenities that are needed to accommodate the 40 percent growth that President Simpson has outlined," said Associate Director of the Urban Design Project Bradshaw Hovey.
Hovey explained that the display will help the developers get the planned improvements in the works.
"A lot of what we're doing is intended to deliver improvements in the physical quality of the University campuses as soon as possible." Hovey said. "By separating ourselves slightly from the UB 2020 program as a whole, we are going to be able to get projects that need to be done faster."
Hired consultants are concerned with how the students will feel toward their new environment, according to Hovey. The posterboards show students what classrooms, lecture halls, libraries and commonplaces will look like under the UB 2020 plan.
This is part of Phase 1 of the comprehensive physical plan. According to Hovey, this phase involves the discussion of University problems and assets.
Students may directly convey their insights about the project in guest books that are available at the exhibits. Books are available for anyone to write down their thoughts and concerns about what is on display.
Hovey believes students should not be discouraged by their graduation prior to the scheduled major physical changes.
"Part of the appeal is ten or twenty years from now when you're a UB graduate and we have taken this course to a much more improved university, people are going to say 'oh, you went to UB,' that's great," Hovey said.
Most of the ideas and inspiration for campus improvements are coming from the current students and faculty. Framing UB was used as a sort of "data set" to see what people like around campus, and what people see as problems, Hovey said.
Phase 2, "Campus Concepts," will be starting at the end of the month. There will be an open house event displaying the next phase of the plan on April 22 in the Center for the Arts.
