To: Baruch College Community

From: Kathleen Waldron, President

Date: November 13, 2008

Re: Campus Master Plan

I am pleased to announce that the CUNY Board of Trustees Facilities Committee approved the Baruch College Master Plan at its meeting of November 3, 2008 and will now recommend to the full board that it be adopted. While funding of the plan over the long term remains unsettled, we will begin moving forward with the design work on the Field Building. To facilitate the design and renovation of the Field Building at 17 Lexington Avenue and to implement other facilities changes envisioned in the College’s Master Plan, we will need to create several committees to work with the external consultants and project managers as well as with colleagues from the CUNY Office of Facilities Planning, Construction and Management as we begin our projects now. CUNY, working closely with the College has completed the selection of a design and engineering firm after a RFP process.

The College will establish an Executive Master Plan Committee consisting of Chair: President Waldron, Members: Provost McCarthy, Vice President Corpus, Vice President D’Aleo, a faculty member to be nominated by the Faculty Senate and a student designated by the Undergraduate Student Government. The Committee will be supported by AVP Jim Lloyd. The Committee will guide the exterior/interior design processes for all major projects in both the north and south campuses. The Committee will make all final recommendations to CUNY pertaining to the renovation and design of the building throughout the construction project.

To work on the day to day parts of the various projects, the College will create a 17 Lex Design Advisory Subcommittee consisting of Chair Jim Lloyd, Members: Lisa Edwards, John Maciuka (Weissman rep), Corlisse Thomas, Barbara Fife, (SPA rep); Student Representative (2-year assignment) to be selected by USG or GSA; a Zicklin School rep, Marybeth Murphy, Arthur Downing, and a science faculty member selected by that department. The Subcommittee will be a subcommittee of the Baruch College Facilities Committee and it will serve as an advisory committee to the Executive Master Plan Committee and keep the College’s Facilities Committee apprised of activities. This committee will meet with CUNY’s Department of Design, Construction & Management and the Architect/Engineers to review proposed design concepts for the renovation of the Field Building at 17 Lex and make recommendations to the Executive Master Plan Committee. This committee will meet on a monthly basis throughout the four phased design of the renovation of the Field Building at 17 Lex.

Given the location of our sciences labs, we believe it essential that a Natural Sciences Design Subcommittee be created. Its members are Chair Dean Jeff Peck, all full time faculty of the Department of Natural Sciences, and two students. The Committee will serve as an advisory team to the 17 Lex Design Advisory Subcommittee on the design of the Natural Sciences research and classroom laboratory projects. This committee will insure that laboratories serving the research faculty are provided with adequate space, facilities and equipment to successfully conduct their research. In addition, this committee will explore cutting-edge classroom laboratory designs and recommend optimal design solutions. These solutions should address the academic needs of the college and reflect the college’s desire to become more environmentally friendly.

Given the location of Mason Hall and the Bernie West Theatre, the College will create a Performing Arts Design Subcommittee to advise the 17 Lex Design Advisory Subcommittee. Its Chair will be Dean Jeff Peck with members John Malatesta (Antonowsky Center for the Performing Arts), 2 students and two members of the Fine and Performing Arts Faculty to be selected by that department. The Committee will insure that the renovation of Mason Hall and the Bernie West Theater meets the needs of ACPA, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the College. Mason Hall should be restored to its original grandeur with all necessary upgrades to the Hall’s electrical, mechanical, and sound systems. In addition, these facilities must be upgraded to meet all current building codes, ADA, etc.

We appreciate that this is important to the entire Baruch College Community and we look forward to keeping you updated.