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Introduction
Phase 1 planning process The UT Austin master plan was developed through a comprehensive planning process led by senior university administrators. It comprises three stages of work. The planning team and work program are described below.
UT Austin Team President William Powers Jr. appointed a Leadership Team comprised of senior university administrators and academic representatives to guide the master planning effort. The team includes Patricia Clubb, Vice President for University Operations; Fritz Steiner, Dean of the School of Architecture, Research Affiliate – Research Fellow; Steven Kraal, Senior Associate Vice President for Campus Planning & Facilities Management; David Rea, Director, Office of Campus Planning; and Professors Samuel Wilson and Sharon Wood. The Leadership Team provided direction to the master plan consultants through the duration of the planning process. The Leadership Team established an Advisory Committee with broad representation from the university community to assist in the review of the master plan during each phase of work. The Advisory Committee met at key milestones during the planning process to hear consultant presentations of works in progress, provide feedback, and establish direction for subsequent phases of work. Members of the Advisory Committee are listed on page 6 of this report. The Leadership Team also established the following four ‘Task Groups’ to provide technical input and direction on the six central master planning initiatives:
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Historical Resources Assessment
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Mobility
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Sustainability and Energy Conservation Funding Strategies
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Decision Support Tools
The President’s Sustainability Steering Committee was engaged in the planning process and provided input and direction on the plan as it evolved. Input on the Campus Development Strategy and Building Design Guidelines initiatives was provided by the Leadership Team and Advisory Committee. Membership in the four Task Groups and Sustainability Committee membership is also listed on page 6. A master plan website was established to solicit input from the broader UT Austin community. The comments received from the ‘MyCampus’ website were considered in the final plan recommendations. The Phase 1 master planning process involved the following three stages of work.
Stage 1: Discovery and Opportunities During the Discovery and Opportunities stage of the process, the consultant team established a dialogue with UT Austin stakeholders and worked to develop a comprehensive understanding of the physical context, core issues, and planning framework that informed the development of the master plan. Stage 1 began with a meeting of the Advisory Committee followed by interviews with the master plan Task Groups to reaffirm goals and identify issues, needs, concerns, and priorities. The consultant team also reviewed existing background information, including previous planning studies, reports, and other data. This task was followed by an analysis of the fundamental characteristics of the UT Austin campus and surrounding areas, including built-form and design character, urban context, environmental conditions and measures of sustainability, open space structure, transportation, and mobility.