BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Bowling Green State University held an open forum Monday to discuss the campus master plan, which would include major renovations and updates to facilities and other aspects of the university.
The first master plan was in 2010 and included the creations of the Maurer Center and Kuhlin Center on the south end of campus, which house the College of Business and the School of Media and Communications, respectively, alongside other design elements being added to the campus.
"The (2010) plan really covered a wide variety of the campus," said April Smucker, associate vice president of Planning, Construction and Campus Operations.
In the latest plan, deemed "2.0," talking points include maximizing campus spaces and improving pedestrian safety, as well as proposals for new construction and realignment of buildings for particular majors.
All of this is in an effort to improve the student experience.
"It's really being able to look at how some of the spaces can be transformed," Smucker said. "Like we had mentioned today, we got spaces in the lower floor of the Education Building, the second floor of the library; these are both very great spaces for students to gather ... the floor plans are adaptive enough to provide enough different activities and collaboration, spaces that the students are telling us will help them in their journey."
For the students themselves, it is vital that BGSU preserves the integrity of what makes the campus special to them: the uniqueness of its layout and people.
"I think what a lot of students talk about is kind of the organizations they are a part of and the community-building that they find here at BG, which I think is a unique experience for a university," said Emily Gerome, a student and the Undergraduate Student Government president. "I think a part of that is just the way the campus looks, the way that we are not in a huge city and there's not a lot of traffic happening, so a lot of the people that you're seeing here are affiliated with the university, which is again is a unique experience to BG."
The plan is expected to be finalized by the end of April 2024 and completed in roughly 10-15 years, university representatives at the forum said.
BGSU in December announced Memorial Hall, which has stood on campus for more than 60 years, will be torn down as part of the master plan. It houses the university's ROTC program and was formerly the site of basketball games and gymnastics meets.