PLANNING FOUNDATIONS

Introduction

The proposals and recommendations of the campus plan are guided by three foundational considerations.

First and foremost, the plan is guided by the goals and priorities of Alcorn’s 2021-2026 strategic plan, “The Path Forward: Forging Ahead”

In addition, the plan is informed by stakeholder themes derived through robust engagement, collaboration, and dialogue with the campus community, in tandem with extensive physical analyses and mapping of the campuses.

Finally, the plan is informed by enrollment projections and assessments of space needs, aimed at establishing an understanding of existing space types and estimating additional space requirements to meet and facilitate future enrollment growth.

Strategic Plan

“The Path Forward: Forging Ahead”, Alcorn’s 2021-2026 strategic plan, is the primary foundation for the campus plan, ensuring that the proposed projects and physical spaces support the University’s mission and vision.

The Strategic Plan was published in 2022 after a thorough and participatory planning process. The plan took a critical look at the institution’s mission, vision, and core values and embraced five strategic directions and goals, proposing thirty institutional strategies to move the University toward greater excellence over the next few years.

Several of these goals are directly related to the availability and quality of space on campus, and thus inform the campus plan. The Strategic Plan calls for spaces for instruction and research, student services and student life, community outreach, engagement and capacity building, and overall long-term institutional sustainability through feasible and lasting capital projects. More specifically, the strategic goals and strategies most relevant to the campus plan include:

• Student Success:

» Developing programs and initiatives focused on students’ health and wellness

» Centralizing one-stop student support services to create zoned activity centers

• Strategic Enrollment Growth:

» Fostering a holistic campus environment

» Promoting students’ sense of belonging, e.g. by continuing to develop residential communities

» Increasing enrollment, including through alternative delivery formats and outside of the Lorman Campus

• Transformation through Innovation:

» Revitalizing infrastructure, operations, and technological systems

• Economic Development and Community Engagement:

» Developing and implementing a 10-year campus plan

» Aligning resources and infrastructure for Extension services and new community engagement activities

• Sustainable and Resilient Enterprise:

» Improving the quality of facilities to foster the success of academic and student programs: better quality spaces, flexible and interactive learning spaces, spaces for student engagement, and improved athletics facilities

» Developing and implementing a comprehensive space-planning program that includes physical and technology infrastructure strategies and a deferred maintenance plan to support the academic community in the engagement of teaching and research

Stakeholder and Analysis Themes

The engagement and collaboration process was robust and provided opportunities for the campus community not only to learn about the campus planning process but also to provide feedback and contribute ideas. It focused on listening to the many voices at Alcorn, understanding their needs and perceptions, and learning how the campus plan could support the institution and the community it serves.

Participants included Alcorn’s leadership and administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, through opportunities including an online survey (full survey results located at pagethink-pi. com/alcornuniversity/portalresults), in-person workshops, open forums and tabling sessions, and individual and group work sessions.

In addition to these engagements, the planning teams conducted an extensive physical analysis of the campuses, which included geographic data collection, mapping, campus tours, and photography.

The themes that emerged from these efforts informed the campus plan. A detailed summary of overarching themes is provided here.

1. The University is focused on strengthening and growing its academic and research programs.

• Alcorn’s land-grant mission should be honored and made relevant to current academic and research programs

• Innovation should be prioritized, including the creation of new programs that are responsive to market needs

• Research space requires investment to support agricultural and STEM programs and establish reliable research infrastructure

2. The University aspires to be a resource for community needs.

• Outreach programs should be leveraged to further connect the University with the community

• The land-grant mission should be extended at the Natchez Campus through community support programs, potentially partnering with the School of Nursing

3. Alcorn has a very strong sense of community, with deep connections to the University.

• There are many multi-generational connections with the University

• The Alcorn community is seen and experienced as a family

• The University’s history as the first historically Black land-grant institution is a source of pride

• Deep traditions such as ‘the walk’ across campus are part of the Alcorn experience

4. The rural setting contributes to the unique character of the campus, but also presents challenges.

• The beauty of the campus and landscape is well-appreciated and attracts students looking for a unique University experience

• Distance from major towns impacts campus community life and reinforces the need for on-campus amenities (e.g. food, dining, retail, entertainment)

5. Addressing maintenance is a critical need.

• Buildings and infrastructure require investment to address current deficiencies and prevent further deterioration; technology, HVAC improvements, and sprinklers are priorities

• Complete civil surveys of campus systems are needed

• Swing space is needed to enable building renovations

• Teaching and learning spaces require technology, furniture, and equipment upgrades

• Poor building conditions detract from the campus character and impact recruitment

6. Facilities and amenities to support campus life are a high priority.

• Indoor and outdoor spaces for recreation, socializing, and dining are a high priority, to improve the quality of campus life; improvements to the Whitney Complex and the campus union are a particular need

• More faculty, staff, and graduate student housing is needed to strengthen the campus community and provide sufficient housing choices

• Additional campus community spaces and living/learning spaces within student housing areas are needed

7. Parking is challenging for drivers, creating traffic congestion and a poor pedestrian experience.

• Students are competing with faculty and staff for premium parking spaces near classrooms and other destinations on campus

• Much of the existing supply is underutilized due to remoteness, lack of connectivity to destinations, and lack of incentives, and supply is perceived as inadequate

• Confusing signage and lack of enforcement exacerbate the parking challenges

• The transportation network should be made more functional while pushing parking into the background of the campus, allowing core areas to be safer and more functional for pedestrians

• Investing in improvements (e.g. new pavement and signage) to make the existing supply work better could be a better solution than building new parking lots

Plan Drivers Strategic Goals

The following are the overarching goals that guided the development of the campus plan. Figure 2.1 illustrates how the goals from the Strategic Plan and the stakeholder and analysis themes informed these drivers and their associated plan recommendations.

1. Serve the Region as an Innovative Historically Black Land-Grant Institution

» Provide state-of-the-art facilities and systems that support innovative education

» Provide state-of-the-art facilities and systems that support research

» Enhance the visitor experience by creating dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces that are unique, easy to access, and functional

» Create spaces for community amenities where visitors feels welcomed and included

2. Revitalize the Campus Grounds and Student Spaces

» Enhance existing and provide new gathering spaces where students can study, relax, and socialize

» Improve walkability across campus

» Intentionally design and enhance the spaces in between buildings

» Enhance the beauty and accessibility of the campus grounds and open spaces

Plan Drivers

3. Leverage Existing Resources

Efficiently

» Address deferred maintenance

» Generally prioritize building renovations over construction of new facilities

» Plan space moves and redistribute uses across buildings to better utilize existing spaces

» Improve parking utilization and distribution

Student Success

Serve the Region as an Innovative Historically Black Land-Grant Institution

• Innovative Education

• Research

• Visitor Experience

Stakeholder And Analysis Themes

Strengthening and growing academic and research programs

Alcorn as a resource for community needs

Strategic Enrollment Growth

• Community Amenities

Revitalize the Campus Grounds and Student Spaces

Strong sense of community and deep connections to Alcorn

Transformation through Innovation

• Gathering Spaces

• Walkability

• Space between Buildings

• Grounds and Open Space

Beauty and challenges of Alcorn’s rural setting

Maintenance is a priority

Economic Development and Community Engagement

Leverage Existing Resources Efficiently

• Deferred Maintenance

• Renovations

Sustainable and Resilient Enterprise

• Space Adjustments

• Parking Utilization

Need facilities and amenities that support campus life

Parking challenges