It’s about time: SHU unveils ‘Master Plan’

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="279"] shu.edu[/caption] In an article this week an update is provided for a Campus Master Plan set to begin in January 2017. According to reporting done by The Setonian, construction is supposed to be completed by January 2019. This two-year construction process will revamp the Bishop Dougherty University Center with a wider variety of food services along with renovations of offices and student lounges. Additionally, this plan will focus on a new “Welcome Center” in a different building which will have a space to replace the main lounge in the University center. It’s about time. Talk of renovating the University Center has been flying around campus for years before it took a backseat to the new medical school and space for the College of Communication and the Arts, but with class sizes on the rise and more students involved in organizations that use these spaces, this change is long overdue. For example, even over the past four years Greek life on campus has added a new fraternity and a new sorority with plans to add even more due to increased interest. All Greek organizations and other clubs utilize the space in the U-Center and have been experiencing growing pains under the pressure of larger class sizes. The graduating class of 2016 set a record as Seton Hall’s largest class at over 1,500 students and the trend of larger class sizes has continued in recent years. With last year’s class topping 1,400, it has become increasingly hard to ignore the obvious strain on facilities that were designed and built for a much smaller student population. Although the University has invested millions in campus renovations in the past two years to accommodate its students, with talk of plans focused on the medical school and a new college constantly present, there has been a need for a definitive plan of action for students currently on campus. Hopefully this Master Plan will offer the much-needed space and resources for student organizations on campus. With the success of students and alumni contributing just as much to the increasingly positive reputation of Seton Hall, the students in turn deserve these resources on campus.