What is a campus master plan?

A master plan guides change to the campus over the long term and gives physical form to the University's strategic vision and values. It addresses all aspects of the campus's physical environment—existing and proposed buildings, open space, circulation—as well as connections to the surrounding city. A master planning process helps the University understand options for growth and its implications so that better decisions can be made about campus development. A campus master plan refers both to a document and the analytical and participatory process that gives rise to it.

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Why is it important to the University to undertake a master plan?

The master planning process provides an opportunity to assess the campus, to anticipate changes and to adjust for unanticipated changes. The resulting plan enables the University to make informed decisions about how state dollars are spent and to ensure that changes to the campus will best serve its mission.

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Why are we creating a master plan now?

The completion of a new strategic plan, the recent acquisition of property, aging facilities, and changing student demographics are among a constellation of factors that require a reevaluation of the campus to determine how best it can serve the University's academic mission.

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How do you create a campus master plan?

The master planning process involves analysis of the current physical conditions of campus and a review of how those conditions coincide with the University's strategic plan and academic goals. In identifying opportunities and priorities for change, the planning process draws on the opinions and expertise of many people—faculty, staff, students, alumni, neighbors and others—who have a stake in institution's future. Often a consultant team is hired to lend support, skills and wisdom to manage this process and to help develop and evaluate options.

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How long does it take to produce a campus master plan, and when will it be completed?

Typically a master plan for this scale of campus will take between 12 and 15 months to produce. Our goal is for the plan to be approved by the California State University Board of Trustees in January 2007.

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Who is in charge of leading the master planning process?

Office of Capital Planning, Design and Construction is coordinating the plan under the mantle of a steering committee chaired by the Vice President for Administration and Finance, and the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

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How will the master plan be coordinated with city, transit, and other governmental entities that are involved in planning for areas around the campus?

The planning process involves both on—and off—campus constituencies. The consultant team will work with representatives of city and state agencies, such as Muni and Caltrans, to ensure that plans for the campus and for the surrounding area are coordinated, with mutually beneficial results.

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Will business owners, merchants, residents and other stakeholders in the surrounding neighborhoods have input to the campus planning process?

Yes. A series of open houses is planned that will enable the University's commercial and residential neighbors to participate. Check here for updates about when and where those open houses are planned.

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How can I participate?

Open house meetings are one way for you to get involved. Check back for the most up-to-date information. This website will also have opportunities for you to participate in surveys.

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When was the last time SFSU did a master plan? What was implemented from that plan?

SFSU completed its last comprehensive plan in 1989. The Humanities Building, the Fine Arts addition, and the Towers are projects, now complete, that were identified in the 1989 plan. Although many of the goals and principles of that plan remain valid, there have been major changes in the planning context, such as the acquisition of significant new properties, the dramatic increase in on-campus housing, and approved enrollment growth to 25,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students from a cap of 20,000 FTE in 1989. Since 1989, the campus has grown from 95 to 134 acres.

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What is the outcome of a campus master planning process?

The master plan recommendations—conveyed in text and images—are compiled in a final document that will serve as a guide for campus change over the next decade. The campus master plan can be described as a living document, one that will outline a sequence of steps for implementation in both the short and long term, while also enabling the institution flexibility to shift priorities as needed.

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