a publication for alumni, family, and friends

Gloria Hanson
University Relations

As the Wesleyan community cleared away the debris left from a devastating windstorm in August 2000, a map to the future of this institution was in the making. Prepared by a group of individuals whose goal was to develop a blueprint for institutional growth, a 10-year plan has emerged, steering the university into the 21st century.

The DWU Campus Master Plan develops a structured framework for the future development of the institution and provides a practical and comprehensive implementation plan for converting the recommendations into reality.

"A few years ago, it became obvious that Dakota Wesleyan University needed a campus master plan to manage deferred maintenance and new construction projects," said Greg Christy, vice president for institutional advancement. "We knew that the process would be very involved and would encompass everything from enrollment projections to fund-raising goals."

Early in 2000, a list of campus "imperatives" were defined and used as the keys in prioritizing and decision-making for the future. These five imperatives formed the foundation for all planning efforts by the university.

Dakota Wesleyan began interviewing master planning firms and hired Performa of DePere, Wis., to conduct a Campus Opportunity Assessment. The assessment was completed to provide an objective look at the needs and opportunities for the university. When the assessment was completed, Dakota Wesleyan applied for and received a $125,000 grant from the Teagle Foundation to develop a master plan.

"The COA was the first phase of Performa’s proposed multi-phase campus master planning process," Christy said, adding that representatives of Performa first visited campus the previous fall.

On the visit, Performa:

• toured the buildings, grounds and surrounding area to gain an understanding of DWU’s current physical environment;
• reviewed archival and published information to become familiar with the university’s historic framework and current situation; and
• met with DWU alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students, and trustees as well as members of the Mitchell community and the United Methodist Church to identify recurring themes regarding university needs and concerns.

Christy said Performa also assessed the university’s general condition, program systems, site systems, plant systems and technology systems to identify issues and opportunities in each area. He said the process yielded 206 recommendations. One hundred four of them are low- or no-cost initiatives, dubbed "one percent projects," and could be immediately implemented. The remaining 102 recommendations were either larger in scale or more costly.

The COA was completed in December 1999 and provided the foundation for future planning efforts by:

• analyzing the university’s issues, strengths and opportunities;
• pointing out facility needs that must be addressed;
• identifying low-cost and no-cost improvements for immediate implementation; and
• formulating recommendations for other larger-scale projects for consideration in future planning.

Having identified the criteria for prioritizing needs and improvements, administrators were then prepared for the next steps in the planning process. However, the planning process was intentionally extended because of the presidential transition. Bob Duffett began his duties as president in July 2000, succeeding Jack Ewing who had led the university for six years.

During the fall, Duffett created a Master Planning/Building Taskforce to assist in developing the blueprint for Wesleyan’s future. The taskforce included Duffett, members of his President’s Council, two staff and two faculty members, the director of the physical plant, the campus minister, the athletic director, a representative of the United Methodist Church, four trustees and students.

With the help of the taskforce, Performa created a campus master plan that outlines all proposed capital projects, including renovations, additions and new construction, as well as other campus improvement projects.

In addition, a practical and comprehensive plan of action was developed to align available resources with short-term priority projects to be undertaken by the university in the next decade. The plan for implementation provided descriptions of projects, as well as sequencing and financial modeling that included projected enrollments and proposed funding strategies for each project.

Projects in the first phase are the most critical to addressing the university’s immediate needs. With a total project cost of $20.4 million, the university will not be able to generate enough cash from its operations budget to fund major capital projects.

"This is our blueprint for the future, but things may change," Christy said. "Projects we have in phase one may not be done until phase two if the funds aren’t available, because so much of the plan is dependent on private gifts."

Included in the first phase is the construction of The George and Eleanor McGovern Library and Center for Public Service. This project is estimated to cost $12.5 million, with $8.5 million used for construction, $1 million for furnishings and $3 million for endowment. Christy said as of Nov. 1, $3.2 million has been raised.

Also included in the first phase is the construction of the Sherman Center and Wagner Chapel. This addition, on the north side of the Rollins Campus Center, is estimated to cost $3.5 million, which includes a $500,000 endowment and $500,000 for furnishings and equipment.

"Because of the passing of Marian Sherman in September of 2000, and some additional gifts from the Sherman estate received this past year, we now have over a million dollars toward the Sherman Center and Wagner Chapel project," Christy said.

The planning process for the Sherman Center and Wagner Chapel was just completed and $1.1 million has been raised for the project to date, Christy said. "It’s very likely the project could be started before the library simply because the amount of funds needed is much less than the McGovern project," he said, adding that groundbreaking could take place as early as next year.

This past summer improvements were made to the Christen Family Recreation/Wellness Center and food service. A food court, named in honor of Jean Weston, an alumna and longtime campus nutritionist, was constructed to provide students more options when dining on campus.

In the wellness center, the racquetball courts were converted to additional weight training space for the benefit of all students, and football lockers were added in a storage area to accommodate the recent growth in our number of football players.

In addition, and because of a private gift, the advancement house underwent some renovations last summer. New siding, roof, air conditioning system and windows were installed. Air conditioning was also installed in Prather Hall.

Other phase one projects include:

• new student housing (construction of townhouse-style apartments that will add 50-100 beds);
• upgrades to the Koka House and the relocation of the nursing lab; and
• exterior renovations to Graham Hall.

Second phase projects, scheduled for 2003-06, are estimated to cost $14.1 million and include the construction of a field house addition to the Christen Family Recreation/Wellness Center.

Christy said the number of student-athletes, about 40 percent of the student population this academic year, will continue to grow. "These projects address continued enrollment growth and will help accomplish key programmatic issues to keep DWU competitive," he said, adding that the projects become increasingly important as enrollment grows and the university needs more space for indoor practice facilities.

Other projects in the second phase of the master plan include:

• interior renovations to Graham Hall;
• Prather Hall remodeling;
• renovations to Smith Hall; and
• Hughes Science Hall renovations.

When completed, the renovations and remodeling planned in Graham Hall, Smith Hall and Hughes Science Hall, as well as Prather Hall will allow the university to move offices and programs to better serve the student body, Christy said.

The final phase of the master plan is scheduled for completion in 2006-10. These projects are planned to resolve increasing quality of life issues resulting from enrollment growth.

Projects included in phase three are:

• renovations to Dayton Hall and Allen Hall;
• construction of more new student housing;
• additional and improved athletic fields; and
• Continued renovations to Smith Hall and Hughes Science Hall.

"The real strength of a document like the master plan is its overall structure and the processes put in place to develop it," he said. "It is a document that will continue to evolve over time as funds become available and as our priorities change. Ultimately, we are striving to create a campus that will best suit the needs of our growing student population."