Campus Planning Processes

Physical change on The University of Arizona physical campus is guided by several interrelated processes, departments, and committees. Several of the major processes Planning, Design and Construction - Planning (PDC-Planning) is involved with are summarized below, while additional processes for discrete topics are described in the section for each committee.

Comprehensive Campus Planning Process

Overall, the primary guidance for the physical development of campus is provided by the 2003 Campus Comprehensive Plan. This plan indicates locations for future projects and the conceptual arrangement of circulation patterns, open spaces, and building forms. Policies for the implementation of the plan are provided, along with design guidelines applicable to the design of specific projects. Sustainability is a thread throughout the Plan and there is a section of specific recommendations for moving the campus in a more sustainable direction.

Facility Planning Process

PDC-Planning provides facility planning services, including topics such as budgeting, programming, and project siting. Facility planning is one of the initial steps in a series of steps or processes which are used to produce a completed campus development project. The overall process of producing campus development projects is refered to as the capital development process.

Capital projects are typically initiated by deans and department heads working with PDC-Planning to define a project scope, site, program, and budget. Once approved by ABOR, capital projects are designed and constructed under the guidance of design and construction staff within the department of Planning, Design and Construction. Once complete, facilities are managed and maintained by Facilities Management, Real Estate Administration, and Parking and Transportation Services. These and other supporting departments within the Office of Business Affairs are responsible for the ongoing creation and operation of the physical campus.

Smaller projects are created through other processes, typically involving many of the same departments, depending on project specifics. For example, Construction Decision Package (CDP) funding is available for projects under 2 million dollars. A CDP application form is available here.