Envisioning the Campus of the Future

In the fall 2005 Sophomore Problem Solving Course, “Clarkson Campus Landscape: Functional Routes and Paths,” the sophomores looked at the accessibility and aesthetics of Clarkson’s campus. Their goal was to create a more accessible campus for all members of the campus community; at the same time, they wanted to explore ways to make the campus more aesthetically pleasing. The plan—4C: Connecting Clarkson’s Campus Landscape--can be viewed at: www.fourcclarkson.co. To think about the problems they tackled, imagine how you would be into the SAS complex or into the lecture wing of the Science Center if you were in a wheel chair (you can’t do it, at least not by yourself).

They also looked at the problems confronting Clarkson students traversing the campus everyday. Did you know that 85% of the foot traffic to attend a class traverses the Moore House parking lot? A bad idea and a dangerous one—also a cause for controversy if one is a commuting student who wants to see the parking lot preserved. President Collins and the university architect liked many of the students’ ideas, including the plan to remove the Moore House lot. In his plans for the next changes to the campus that he presented to the faculty and Board of Trustees, President Collins included the sophomores’ ideas for bridges connecting the Science Center to the ERC and the ERC to Rowley Labs.

What about the controversy? Forums were held about the new campus master plan that contained many of the sophomores’ ideas. Some of the comments were downright hostile and insulting: “Do sophomores really understand anything about campus planning? Why not have senior Civil Engineering design students undertake this kind of study?” or “This plan illustrates the elitist attitudes of the Honors students.” Call such reactions another current and emerging problem (in science, technology, and society) for the Honors students to deal with.

When you see the next Clarkson fund-raising campaign announced, some of the sophomores’ ideas will likely be in it, including the bridge between the Science Center and ERC. Also, incidentally there will be plans for creating endowed scholarships for Honors students. As the sophomores might put the matter, such plans are about foreseeing Clarkson’s future.

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