Reference Information Overview

The Master Plan defines the University's physical image in the future. It is a comprehensive and dynamic plan that provides the framework necessary to guide campus development and/or change the physical environment. The Master Plan creates the foundation of continuity in physical planning by creating a vision that all the physical components of a campus will pursue. As the plan is implemented, it will allow the Campus to improve aesthetics, meet required space needs, plan for facility upgrades and improve site conditions.

It is important to consider the master plan as a process and not a document. As a process, the University can better assure proper planning by continuously reviewing, challenging, and updating the plan to meet needs as they change. The University of Northern Colorado Master Plan is based on the demographics of the University at certain enrollment levels, and not dependent upon time. It reflects who and what we are, not "when" we are. Its intended to help guide the physical development of the campus to achieve common goals associated with the university's physical environment.

This Reference Information is the center of the process and the driver of the Master Plan. It consolidates and further defines the programmatic information necessary for the master plan. Academic and physical planning processes have quite diverse planning windows (3-5 years vs 10-50 years) so it was necessary for UNC to create a tool to bridge the gap. The tool is this Reference Information The Reference Information includes the data and assumptions that identifies the University's facilities needs. These needs are what drives the master plan.

The information contained in this manual is reviewed bi-annually through the University's Academic Planning Process. This ensures the master plan operate as working documents, continually reflecting the University's needs at any given point in time.

It is important to understand the data throughout the manual is presented at a university level, without regard to any specific college, department, or administrative unit. It is intended to provide the general programmatic needs of the university as they relate to physical improvements. Thus, much of the data is presented by campus function, which is most appropriate for the scale of planning associated with master plans.

Minor changes in the data and assumptions within the Reference Information does not necessarily impact the Master Plan. The Master Plan is updated when major changes in the data or the assumptions occur. More often than not, it's when the plans in the Master Plan no longer support the drivers within this Reference Manual.