The University has taken another major step toward the development of a new student center by hiring a consulting firm to perform a feasibility study to determine what students want in a new center.
A group comprised of University administrators selected the facility planning and project management firm Brailsford and Dunlavey, a Washington, D.C. based firm, in mid-December.
"This assessment is literally to determine what would be the University's next steps in either enhancing current space dedicated for programming or determining if new facilities are needed," said Christina Morell, who is heading up the project in the Vice President for Student Affairs Office.
The firm already has been on Grounds for a kick-off meeting that took place Jan. 14 and will return next week to hold focus groups Feb. 6 and 7.
In total, 10 focus groups will be conducted and will bring together a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and Newcomb Hall staff. Each focus group will consist of about 20 people.
The purpose of the focus groups is to determine what types of activities and facilities students feel would be beneficial in a new student center.
"We will be both randomly selecting students and drawing on student leaders from the African-American, Asian and Latino communities," said Ryan McCarthy, who is both a student member of the new student center feasibility committee and the president of the Asian Student Union.
Brailsford and Dunlavey intend to have the feasibility study completed by the end of April, which will give the University a chance to reassess the situation and decide what steps need to be taken.
The new building is scheduled to be constructed by 2006.
However, the consultants will let the administration and Student Council know what kinds of things will occupy the center, Council President Abby Fifer said.
"By April at the conclusion of the study, we will know the specific programs and services that will comprise the new student center," Fifer said.
The project started in April 1993 when Council passed a resolution that called for an investigation into the building of a new center.
Since that time David Oakland of VMDO Architects, a Charlottesville firm, was hired to do the first feasibility study.
Before ground-breaking can begin the University will have to go through a state-contract bidding process and gain funding.
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