February 25, 1997

Space Issues: Kerr Hall, Natural Sciences II, Student Center, & College 8

The following information was developed by the Office of Planning and Budget in response to questions raised about the current space-planning discussions:

• What is the background of this issue? A great deal of interest has been generated at UCSC by a series of proposals which would move a number of units from their current buildings to other buildings. These proposals result from studies about the currently vacant Natural Sciences II building and about the proposed use for Kerr Hall.

• What are the scenarios for Natural Sciences II and Kerr Hall? The College 9 and College 10 projects (originally envisioned in 1988) included plans to move a number of administrative units into Kerr Hall from other locations on campus. The completion of College 10 coincided with the emptying of Natural Sciences II for seismic repair work. (This work resulted from damage in the Loma Prieta earthquake.)

  Astronomy, Physics, and UCO/Lick units were moved from Natural Sciences II to Kerr Hall. These units found Kerr to be a more suitable building for their uses than was Natural Sciences II and requested to remain in Kerr. To honor that request would leave Natural Sciences II without major occupants. The Space Policy Committee has been discussing options for satisfying that request and for re-filling Natural Sciences II with a suitable occupant (a unit which can use laboratories and offices).

  The original plan to move administrative units into Kerr Hall was based upon the principle of consolidating many administrative units which were distributed in many campus buildings -- many of which are high-cost buildings. Included in these moves from high-cost buildings are units in Applied Sciences, Communications, and McHenry Library. Each of these buildings is specialized for the proposed occupants of the vacated space, Engineering, Film/Video, and Library, respectively.

  A number of scenarios have been considered as alternatives to the original Kerr plan including one which would consolidate Environmental Studies (which has offices and some labs in College 8 and other labs in Applied Sciences) into Natural Sciences II, one which would place several administrative units into College 8 (primarily into space vacated by Environmental Studies) and one with a swap of student center space to house administrative units for College 8 space to be used for current Student Center occupants.

  In its deliberations, the Committee contemplated these six considerations:

  • 1) protection of prospects for a new building
    
  • 2) maintenance of consistency with the Long Range Development Plan
    
  • 3) consideration of implementation costs
    
  • 4) consideration of annual costs to rent off-campus space
    
  • 5) desirability of academic units remaining in College Eight
    
  • 6) consideration of improved conditions for student groups using the Student Center
    

  Although at least eight scenarios were developed, only three are under active consideration at this time.

  • Scenario 1 (the original plan) had two steps.

    The first step would move Astronomy, Physics, and UCO/Lick back into the refurbished Natural Sciences II, would consolidate several administrative units into Kerr Hall, would vacate space in Applied Sciences for Engineering, would vacate space in Communications for Film/Video and CATS, and would vacate McHenry Library administrative space to allow consolidation of Library and Media Services units.

    The next phase of Scenario 1 is construction of a new building (approximately 30,000 assignable square feet and $16 million) to include space for Environmental Studies. Completion of that building then would allow consolidation of a variety of other space allocations.

  • Scenario 7 would house Astronomy, Physics, UCO/Lick, and SCIPP (an ORU) in Kerr, would consolidate Environmental Studies into Natural Sciences II, would move Community Studies out of College 8, and would move several administrative units into College 8 primarily from McHenry Library. There would be more space for Engineering in Applied Sciences as a result of the Environmental Studies move, and space for Film/Video and CATS in Communications. Many administrative units would be housed in specialized buildings (not as many as at present) and at least one large unit would have to be housed off-campus.

  • Scenario 8 is a variation of Scenario 7 in that it proposes to swap space in College 8 for equivalent space in the Student Center Building. The Student Center Building would become an administrative building and the student groups and activities occupying space in College 8 would be closer to student traffic and shuttle stops.

• What are the features of the various scenarios?

  Scenario 7 appeals to several groups because it consolidates Environmental Studies offices and labs earlier than Scenario 1 and allows Astronomy, Physics, and UCO/Lick to remain in Kerr Hall. The most obvious problems so far have been 1) the loss of faculty occupants in College 8, and 2) the lack of consolidation of administrative units.

  Scenario 8 emerged as one possible way of dealing with two problems. 1) The oft-repeated dissatisfaction of students and student groups with the site and character of the Student Center by finding a new home for those activities, and 2) College 8 would have both faculty and students housed in it with the swap, but would not if it became an administrative building.

• What is the status of these proposals?

  The Space Policy Committee met on Tuesday, February 18 to hear comments on these options. Following discussion of Scenario 8, Vice Chancellor Hernandez and the student representatives on the Committee were asked to discuss it with the Student Center Governing Board. On Friday, February 21, Scenario 8 was discussed with the Student Center Governing Board and awaits their formal comment.

  Chancellor Greenwood has invited the campus community to review these scenarios and to send questions and/or comments to Fran Owens (frano@cats), UCSC's director of capital planning and space management in the Office of Planning and Budget.

Chancellor's message on space options.

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