MARQUETTE
MATTERS
New master plan will take integrated approach to charting Marquette’s course By Christopher Stolarski
plan will look at the university in a way that has not been done before, it will also take into account the recommendations from other recent studies, such as those on enrollment, student housing, recreation, athletics and the current campus climate survey. The master plan will also link strongly to the strategic plan, and together they will serve as the university’s roadmap.
Photo by Jesse Lee
MM: Why now? Why is a master plan important for the university?
Marquette Matters took the opportunity to talk briefly with Lora Strigens, associate vice president for finance and university architect, about Marquette’s next master planning project, the first since 2007. Marquette Matters: What will a new master plan for Marquette entail? Lora Strigens: The master plan will take a comprehensive look at Marquette, establish a long-term vision and guide decision-making for the next 10 years. We will take an integrated approach that addresses our academic, physical, functional and financial realities. While the master
LS: Marquette is at a pivotal point: New leadership, a new strategic plan framework, an innovation fund focused on creative initiatives and several key growth opportunities drive the need for a comprehensive plan. In addition, Marquette’s involvement with the Near West Side Partners is opening the door to enhance and link to our community in new ways. Marquette needs to be prepared to respond to opportunities as they arise, and a master plan will provide us with the tools we need to make informed decisions about the future of our campus. MM: What can the campus community expect over the next year? LS: We will provide a range of opportunities for the campus community to engage in exciting dialogue about the future as we develop the master plan. The consultant team will be on board in early March and we will develop a strategy to involve campus stakeholders, alumni and others in the process in a variety of ways, including a campus planning website.
College of Health Sciences receives $5 million gift to fund mental health center By Jesse Lee
President Michael R. Lovell announced in his Presidential Address that the College of Health Sciences received a $5 million gift to establish a mental health research center. The gift comes from Dr. Michael and Mrs. Billie Kubly, founders of the Charles E. Kubly Foundation, which is named in honor of their son who took his life after a long battle against depression. The new center will be named the Charles E. Kubly Mental Health Research Center. The Kubly Foundation is “a public charity devoted to improving the lives of those affected by depression.” The gift, however, was a personal gift from the Kublys, not a foundation donation. “When it comes to funding this mental health research center, it’s important that it’s a personal donation,” Billie Kubly said. “We have an opportunity to draw attention to the need for research and to help remove the stigma [of mental illness] that can be a barrier to charitable gifts.” As part of the new center, the $5 million gift will support an endowed senior professorship, funding for additional faculty, and funding for cutting-edge cellular and molecular research methodologies. Ultimately, the goal is to raise a total of $10 million to support the new center. “We’re extremely grateful to the Kubly family for their enormously generous, transformative gift,” said Dr. William E. Cullinan, dean of the College of Health Sciences. “We’ve built a team of research neuroscientists focused on finding underlying causes of mental illness and discovering more effective ways to treat these debilitating conditions. This gift is an investment that will allow us to expand our research capabilities and accelerate the pace of discovery.”