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A 3-D rendering of campus showing chancellor's walk and price drive.
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2024 Campus Master Plan

Chancellor Volety

Message from the Chancellor

With this master plan, we are setting the stage for physical development that will enhance the student experience, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthen our connection to the region and community.

  • Campus Master Plan goals are in alignment with institutional strategic initiatives, providing long-term views that can inform day-to-day decision-making.
  • Recommendations are data-driven and rooted in UNCW’s unique campus culture.
  • Concepts are visionary and practical, built on historic growth patterns, and tailored to address campus needs at a variety of scales.
  • Integration of campus systems is thoughtfully reflected in land use, space use, architecture, landscape, utilities, circulation and parking recommendations.
  • Collaborative engagement with various stakeholders throughout the process provides a deep understanding of UNCW’s challenges and opportunities.
  • Regular engagement with UNCW’s Core Planning Team and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) creates more direct feedback loops and allows leadership to engage as true thought partners.
students look at the campus master plan during a bfsa welcome week cookout

Phase 1: Discovery & Analysis

This phase establishes an understanding of existing conditions, assets, issues, program needs, and aspirations, as well as the UNCW mission, vision, and strategic plan. Analysis of needs and physical opportunities are used to generate multiple concepts for land use, open space, circulation and infrastructure.

chancellor discusses campus master plan

Phase 2: Concept Advancement & Refinement

The preferred concept is tested with stakeholder input and refined by developing strategies for program accommodation and synergistic adjacencies, leveraging physical opportunities, and creating a connected open space network and campus edge/gateway identity.

leadership discuss the masterplan around a table.

Phase 3: Integration & Implementation

Natural and man-made campus systems are coordinated to reinforce the overall land use strategy and campus framework. The final plan, computer model and graphics are created to illustrate proposed projects and implementation strategies.

a presentation of the campus master plan is being given during welcome week.

Phase 4: Publication & Presentation

Documentation of the process and final recommendations of the 2024 Campus Master Plan is presented to various UNCW constituents and approved by the Board of Trustees.

Key Takeaways
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50%

50% of off-campus student respondents have difficulty finding a parking spot

60%

60% of on-campus student respondents have difficulty finding a parking spot

25%

25% of student respondents use a bike or board to get around campus

Campus Commons

While the Campus Commons was unanimously the heart of campus and many respondents favorite spot on campus, it was also the #1 area respondents felt needed improvement.
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16%

16% of off-campus student respondents live off-campus because of a lack of on-campus housing availability

Nature

Trees, greenery and ponds are by far everyone's favorite aspect of campus

1 of 3

One out of every three respondents perceived the Suites parking lot to be the most unsafe place on campus

Recurring Themes

Most visited place for off-campus students when not in class.

Top requested enhancements include dedicated routes for pedestrians, shaded seating and walking paths, and additional landscaping.

There is a lot of interest in interdisciplinary research from CMS.

Staff responses had a greater emphasis on wellness and wayfinding than faculty responses.

Top requested amenities were Pub/Coffee/Food and Lounge/Meeting.

75% of respondents said they would or might go to a Welcome/Alumni Center if it existed

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