Response to Campus Master Plan

In the beginning pages of Daltons paper, she discusses five essential planning factors for campus planning. These factors include the following – land use, design, sustainability, economic development and collaboration. Land use is promoting a sense of community, walkability on campus, livability, and safety. Design are the physical components of the space that improve the overall image of the campus. The sustainability component is planning for impact of the campus on the overall ecosystem, and how the campus can relate to common goals of the community. Economic development and collaboration are directly relationship to surrounding neighborhoods and communities while engaging in socioeconomic built environment. The new university master plan addresses many of these components in the 2021 addition with several of their additions made to face challenges on both campuses.  

Scholars in the Dalton paper suggest that land use planning can be achieved through “vibrant and safe social environment to address the evolving needs of higher education institutions” The campus master plan introduces the concept of a renovated historic quad that would provide more gathering spaces, and the new space for the campus heart that would close 51st street providing space for events and interactions. Similarly, Dalton suggests that sustainability on the campus can be directly correlated with transportation infrastructure. UMKC has proposed adding housing on campus that would significantly reduce of traffic counts incoming to campus as well implementing bicycle and pedestrian methods of transportation for students that would reduce the need for cars. The highlight on pedestrian safety specifically along Troost Avenue, 51st Street, and Rockhill Road specifically with the widening of pedestrian walkways will also reduce the traffic crimes. The connection of campus to the rest of Kansas city is important, so the UMKC master plan suggest that the street car extension will further the connection as well bicycle lanes that will also connect to existing bicycle networks throughout the rest of the city. Collaboration was established with several stakeholders as addressed at the beginning of the UMKC master plan.