Sigma Kappa - Purdue University

Visions of Violets 2 esidential life is a critical component of the student experience at Purdue University. Purdue's enrollment will continue to grow. Increased graduation rates, positive campus experience, and increased academic programs and research are paramount to the university. Purdue engaged Sasaki Associates in 2006 to research, analyze, and propose a comprehensive campus master plan report with emphasis on living-learning communities that improve academic performance through on-campus housing. The plan was approved by Purdue in February 2009 and an update to the master plan is expected in June of this year. Beta Sigma's House Corporation joined the Housing Coalition last summer to monitor future plans and potential impacts upon our chapter's home at 427 Russell Street. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF MASTER PLAN (excerpts from Purdue University's Master Plan) With regard to student housing, three implementation scenarios are outlined, depending on available capital. These scenarios range from a minimum maintenance program to the addition of 1,800 net new beds. The report also provides long-term strategies, which could potentially net up to 3,500 new beds. Before recommending specific interventions, Sasaki conducted a thorough analysis of existing conditions. The key findings were: 1. The primary obstacle to the retention of upperclassmen is the lack of diversity in typologies offered. 2. The housing stock is, with one exception, concentrated towards the western edge of campus. Providing geographic variation is critical. 3. To a large degree, existing housing is not geographically-integrated with the campus academic and research buildings. 4. The existing housing stock is by and large in need of upgrades to remain competitive with the market. The new campus master plan sets the goal of having residential populations in each quadrant of the campus. This requires the creation of new residential communities in the northeast and southeast, and the reinforcement of existing populations in the northwest and southwest. The freshman and sophomore residential experience should focus in the current residential zone. The new zones should provide opportunities for upper- classmen, and increase the inventory of on-campus rooms targeted for graduate students. Several strategies are presented to achieve these goals: 1. The creation of a major new residential zone in the southeast portion of campus proximate to the Village with a new dining facility. 2. The augmentation of the existing residential zone by strategic insertion of new facilities on key corridors like Third Street. 3. The renovation of existing low-rise "H-buildings" to ensure their usefulness for the next 25-plus years. 4. A phased approach to reinvestment in Purdue Village, initially focusing on the critical State Street corridor, and then moving into the interior. A significant portion of the existing Purdue Village should be retained to ensure the availability of affordable units, primarily for married international students. 5. In the very long term, creation of a new graduate village close to the academic core in the Hayes Triangle. A key point of emphasis for the housing master plan is financial realism. Some projects, most notably the development in the southeast quadrant, lend themselves to a developer partnership. The overall goal is to provide a roadmap for university residences moving forward which ensures Purdue can fulfill their mission, continuing to provide welcoming, nurturing communities which complement the University's vibrant 24/7 life, while remaining financially self-supporting. State Street must become a unifying feature at the heart of student and academic life rather than a campus divider. State Street occupies the geographic center of campus. Academic programs have spread north and south of State Street. While the university is too large to ever have a single center of activity, it is vital the campus have a single main street off of which its multiple centers can connect. For this reason the master plan promotes a "move to the center" focusing future campus growth on the State Street corridor in order to create a collaborative seam in the campus heart. A proposed perimeter parkway will be created around the campus, forming new gateways to the west and south. State Road 26 will be redesignated from the portion of State Street running through the campus to the relocated US 231 highway. The proposed perimeter parkway will reduce traffic volumes on State Street. State will become a local street that serves, and is more integral to the Purdue campus. The master plan relies on five core principles to establish a flexible framework for future decisions: Principle 1: Promote compact growth within the existing campus Principle 2: Establish State Street as a collaborative center Principle 3: Create program synergies through mixed-use districts Principle 4: Encourage a simple integrated transportation system with a perimeter parkway Principle 5: Preserve the Western Lands HOUSING COALITION A Housing Coalition was formed in July 2014 to provide Purdue's Student Housing Organizations (sororities, fraternities, and co-ops) a voice in the master plan process acting as a single point contact for the various SHO and working in conjunction with Purdue's Alumnae Advisory Group and Purdue's Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Fraternity, Sorority, and Cooperative Life. As an active participant in the Coalition, Beta Sigma's House Corporation surveyed SHO on campus to confirm future intentions for their facilities. High-level responses identified in December 2014 were: • Vast majority of student housing organizations plan to stay in current location for next 20+/- years • A few are deferring major renovation plans until their future is clear • New organizing SHO's vie for land and structures on or near campus • Creation of a new Greek Village or Acres II with independent housing is palatable. Preferences noted were the North Island, Hilltop Apartment area, or Purdue West. • Wish to retain land ownership versus a land lease • In the short term, sororities find themselves over populated as Panhellenic recommends increased quotas, pushing seniors and juniors out of the houses. As new sororities organize on campus quotas should equalize. The Housing Coalition will continue to bridge communications between Purdue University and the Student Housing Organizations. The Coalition's first report was presented to Purdue's Facilities Planning group in January. Purdue reiterated its position that academic structures, sororities, fraternities, and co-ops can co-exist and thrive with no current plans to target properties they do not own. The Beta Sigma of Sigma Kappa House Corporation owns the land and our chapter house located at 427 Russell Street and continues through the strength of our collegiate members and your ongoing donations to maintain and upgrade our home. Our house is located a safe distance north of Third Street. We will remain active in the Housing Coalition and inform our alumnae of future master plan updates. Additional master plan information may be found on Purdue's website: http://www.purdue.edu/ purdue/search.html?q=Master%20Plan. R Purdue University Campus Master Plan

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