Renovations to the Rotunda are wrapping up soon, but we all know construction at the University never stops. At a recent Board of Visitors meeting, board members discussed projects and proposals including a new Contemplative Sciences Center and relocation or expansion of the Elson Student Health Center and the Frank Batten School of Public Policy. One of the chief considerations for the board was lack of availability of space on Grounds. Faculty Member Joe Garofalo expressed concern with the fate of the basketball courts located behind Ruffner Hall. While basketball courts offer the community a useful location for recreation, the University should use this space for more important purposes if available space does not meet the demand for planned projects.
Current space open to the University includes the Ivy Corridor, an area of land at the intersection of Ivy Road and Emmet Street, and other parcels of land outside of Central Grounds. But few spaces are as centrally located as the plot of land behind Ruffner. An outdoor basketball court is an enjoyable amenity, but increased classroom space is of greater importance. The University already offers plenty of recreational space at locations such as the Aquatic and Fitness Center and Memorial Gymnasium. However, increasing class sizes and a push to expand some of our programs such as public policy necessitate the prioritization of on-Grounds space, and academics should come before recreation.
The space behind Ruffner is primarily being considered for the Contemplative Sciences Center, which certainly merits space. This need applies to other projects as well. The Batten School is quickly rising in the ranks of top public affairs schools around the nation. Accordingly, application numbers and class sizes in the school increase each year. The program, founded in 2007, initially consisted of just 25 students but has grown to accommodate approximately 300. Batten Dean Allan C. Stam has voiced concerns with the physical limitations of Garrett Hall, the building which currently houses Batten. Student health services could also benefit from increased space, given that, in the words of Patrick Hogan, University executive vice president and chief operating officer, it is “bursting at the seams.” Though some Charlottesville residents make use of the basketball courts, the advantages of an academic or service-based expansion behind Ruffner are paramount to the benefits an outdoor basketball court currently provides our community.
As the University continues to grow and look for central spaces to develop, we should bear in mind that basketball courts are expendable — essential services, such as academic programs and student services, are not.
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