Agenda

UNIVERSITY SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING

Thursday, May 26, 2022 

Video Conference 

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM 

Approval of the Minutes – Arden (5 Minutes)

Consent Agenda (Two Item(s) – Arden (5 Minutes) 

Action Items 

N/A

Information / Discussion Items 

1. DELTA Testing Center, Brickyard Neighborhood, Updated Space Request #15-06 – L. Johnson (15 Minutes)
2. Capital Project Requests – L. Johnson (15 Minutes)
3. Plant Sciences Backfill Plan (Info Item 19.03) – L. Johnson (30 Minutes)
4. Holladay Hall Administrative Principles – L. Johnson (20 Minutes)
   • (Info Item 21.08) Related to Space Request (Related to Space Requests# OGC Holladay #21-15 and ISA Peele #21-31)

Other Business:

Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 22, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Adjourn

Minutes

UNIVERSITY SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING (USC) 

Thursday, May 26, 2022 

Video Conference 

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Attendance and Distribution 

Members present: Warwick Arden; Charles Maimone; Mladen Vouk 

Staff Support present: Adrian Day; Alicia Knight; Cameron Smith; Doug Morton; Don Hunt; Jonathan Horowitz; Lisa Johnson; Lisa Van Roekel; Margery Overton; Sumayya Jones-Humienny 

Guests: Adam Brueggemann; Barbara Moses 

Additional Distribution: Catherine Phillips; Christopher Ross; Jessie Askew; Liz Moore; Lori Johnson; David Rainer

Approval of the Minutes 

The minutes of the April 22, 2022 meeting were approved and have been posted.

Approval of the Consent Agenda 

The following items were approved: 

1. Small Business and Technology Development Center – Western Carolina (SBDTC-WC) Strategic Lease Request #22-07 and  
2. Small Business and Technology Development Center – State Administration Office (SBDTC-SAO)  Strategic Lease Request #22-08 were both approved.

Action Items 

N/A

Information / Discussion Items 

1. Digital Education and Learning Technology and Applications (DELTA) Testing Center, Brickyard Neighborhood, Updated, Space Request #15-06
   Lisa Johnson reviewed the updated request and recommended two parallel paths be pursued given the time needed to resolve this request:
   • Fold the space request into the DH Hill, Jr. Library Comprehensive Study underway (in the designer  selection process) and  
   • Consider lease space options on Centennial Campus.
     Brainstorming is also underway, related to the Physical Master Plan’s goal to activate the Brickyard, with an investigation of the 2nd Floor (ground level) of Bostian Hall for relocation of the DELTA Testing Center. If viable, this option would have to first relocate the existing College of Sciences advising staff/faculty elsewhere. More study is needed.

S. Jones-Humienny presented DELTA’s answers to the USC Committee’s questions from the last meeting:

• Is there a way that the space could be designed so that it could serve dual functions? Because the Core facility operates M – F from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm year-round except during breaks between semesters, it is not feasible to serve dual functions as accreditation has strict security requirements for paper-based and online testing.
• Could the space be used as a study space when not being used for testing?
  The Flex/Pop-up facility could be used as a study space with adequate security and staffing as these spaces are only used for 1 week at mid-semester for midterm exams and 1-2 weeks at semester end for final exams. These spaces are furnished with security cameras and carrels that are hardwired for power and internet. Laptops for DELTA’s usage would be installed only during testing timeframes.
  • The committee stressed the importance of this space request, concurred that the Flex/Pop-up facility is best for dual or shared use, and acknowledged the need for adequate security. The solution may involve several locations to meet DELTA’s needs and they agreed on parallel investigations of lease and appropriate space options are needed for the short- and long-term solutions.

2. Capital Project Requests, (Info Item 22.03)
   Regarding the recent requests received to study new buildings, such as those from the Poole College of  Management, Wilson College of Textiles, and College of Engineering, Lisa Johnson presented a historical summary of the Capital Projects process. Created in FY 2000-2001, this process strived to align proposed projects with the university’s strategic initiatives and enrollment planning. The Office of the University  Architect (OUA) input student, faculty, and staff headcounts received from the Office of Institutional  Research and Planning (now Institutional Strategy and Analysis (ISA)) and the Enrollment Planning  Committee into the UNC System Office’s space standards to quantify space needs for current and projected numbers. [The exception was for research space standards, which NC State further developed  for discipline-specific needs.]The analysis revealed any deficits, overages, and pinch points for different types of space. OUA planners also integrated facility condition assessment reports for the qualitative aspects of the space analysis. They met with leadership from each college to review the findings and receive their feedback. Then they reported the findings and feedback to USC to ensure the projects and priorities aligned with the university’s strategic goals and initiatives and they adjusted the capital project lists accordingly.  This transparent process has typically informed the capital projects list, SACS accreditation, the Physical  Master Plan, and other major efforts, such as the College of Engineering’s growth planning; however, OUA  has not engaged in this process since 2016 due to staffing vacancies, loss of institutional memory, the reorganization of ISA, and Covid disruptions. The Physical Master Plan underway is helping to redefine the process. In the meantime, Facilities will have to submit the Capital Projects list to the UNC System Office before this process is re-set. The committee approved moving forward with the requested studies but stated any studies for new buildings must be part of the overall planning effort, taking all needs into account, to determine a  sequential, prioritized building list. Furthermore, if any study is undertaken, it should be communicated that there is no guarantee of a new building.
3. Plant Sciences Building, (Info Item 19.03)
   Lisa Johnson presented the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) updated Backfill Planning document dated May 26, 2002, with the college’s goals and occupancy plan. CALS’s targeted occupancy rate for Phase I of the Plant Sciences Building is 60-70%. They will continue to develop the space assignments for the upcoming Phase II rollout. They request to keep some of the vacated space for shifting personnel out of very poor-quality space and releasing the remainder for swing space or demolition consideration by the USC. M. Overton noted that space previously assigned to the Chancellor Faculty and  Excellence Program (CFEP), such as that in Thomas on the 2nd and 4th floors and in Toxicology on the 2nd floor, should first be discussed with Rob Dunn, the Interim Senior Vice Provost for University  Interdisciplinary Programs. The backfill plan will be reviewed at the next meeting for approval.
   
4. Holladay Hall Administrative Principles, (Info Item 21.08) Related to Space Request (Related to Space  Requests # OGC Holladay #21-15 and ISA Peele #21-31):
   Lisa Johnson has now met with the USC members, Marc Hoit, Allison Newhart, and Derek Bryan as the delegate for Brian Sischo. She discussed various options for OGC’s immediate space needs for two additional attorneys. Observations shared include that Holladay is only 1/3 – 1/2 full on any given day, no one appears to be working completely remotely, and some offices have implemented touch-down workstations. Recommendations shared include having the Chancellor’s cabinet housed in the building with only their key support staff, determining who could move out most quickly, and providing more touch-down workstations within the building for those who do move out. The committee agreed that more long-term study is needed and a recommendation is needed by the next meeting for short-term options.

Other Business 

Dean Chris McGahan requested revisions to the memo dated May 9, 2022, regarding Space Request #22-06 for the relocation of The Science House to The Cherry Building to reflect the source of initiation and commitment to the provision of university funding for a cost-neutral move to the College of Sciences. The proposed revised verbiage was reviewed, amended, and approved. 

Next Meeting: 

June 22, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM 

Meeting Adjourned at 3:35 PM.