Chico State’s 2030 Campus Master Plan Receives Prestigious Award

Chico State’s 2030 Campus Master Plan has been honored by the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). The plan recently earned a merit award for Excellence in Planning for an Existing Campus by SCUP’s Excellence Awards program.

In developing its Master Plan, Chico State partnered with SmithGroup, an award-winning, integrated design firm that helped the University place a special emphasis on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for first-generation and lower income students. In the plan, Chico State has prioritized projects like more affordable housing options on campus, space for tutoring on nights and weekends, and more distributed collaboration space to encourage peer-to-peer connections.

“Our physical campus, as beautiful as it might be, needs to continuously evolve to meet the needs of 21^st century students,” said CSU, Chico President Gayle Hutchinson, “The 2030 Campus Master Plan will reshape Chico State into a more inclusive and environmentally friendly environment that will address our diverse students’ and community’s needs.”

The 2030 Campus Master Plan represents unifying vision for Chico State. It parallels the University’s Strategic Plan and incorporates Chico State’s mission, vision, strategic priorities, enduring commitments into every proposed project. Moving forward, future development projects will support the University’s guiding frameworks and goals:

• Invest in sustainable strategies like on-site renewable energy production to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
• Provide safe and accessible pedestrian routes across all of campus. In key areas, expand bicycle access and support facilities to encourage sustainable modes of transit.
• Elevate the student experience by increasing the number of students living on campus and ensure all students have better access to dining, recreation and support options.
• Enrich the academic and research environment through targeted building renovations and expansions, combined with strategic investment in new facilities.
• Promote an inclusive environment by fostering a welcoming campus with access to robust support services and facilities that are reflective of a diverse population.
• Make the campus a more welcoming place for all through improved wayfinding and placemaking.

Some projects are already underway or will be initiated soon. That includes enhancements to the campus bike path, the addition of solar panels to some campus buildings, the demolition of the old physical science building, and the start of design for the Butte Hall replacement building.

“The master plan will make Chico State one of the most innovative campuses in the North State and the CSU system,” said Mike Guzzi, associate vice president of facilities and capital projects at CSU, Chico. “It honors and builds on our rich history as the second-oldest CSU campus, while adapting our physical spaces to meet the needs of future generations of students.”

The SCUP Excellence Awards honor institutions for strategic, integrated planning that results in exemplary buildings and grounds, institutional success and careers that inspire in eight categories. The merit award for Excellence in Planning for an Existing Campus recognizes a comprehensive campuswide plan for the development of existing spaces due to institutional or community changes.

The development of the 2030 Campus Master Plan required ongoing commitment from Chico State’s leadership and committee members, as well as participation from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Chico citizens. A wide range of dedicated individuals from both the campus and the community provided input that helped to guide the master planning process.

“Creating, refining and gaining approval of our ambitious plan was truly a group effort. I hope everyone who participated shares the same sense of Wildcat pride that I have in the recognition Chico State has received with this award,” Hutchinson said.