Briana Troske

A new committee is being formed this semester to discuss beautification processes and the use of green spaces on campus.

“The committee is there to provide input and updates to the college’s visual appearance,” said Bob Otterson, executive assistant to the president.

The Campus Design Committee will be made up of 12 people and eight of them will be faculty. One representative from Athletics, Student Affairs, Students’ Association and the Director of the South Dakota Art Museum will be on the committee serving three-year terms.

The main objective for the committee is to provide input and guidance with campus renovations.

“It will be an active committee that is concerned with campus green, parking and giving the campus a positive image,” said Marysz Rames, vice president of Student Affairs.

Green space has been a hot topic on campus recently as construction projects and a parking lot near Hansen Hall have taken over former recreation areas.

“We need a committee like that because we always used the green spaces around campus,” said Heidi Hagin, a junior agronomy major. “Someone needs to make designated choices for students for their physical activities, so I think the committee is a good thing.”

Michael Reger, vice president for administration, will head an upcoming public meeting. President David Chicoine will choose the members with help from the Executive Committee of the Academic State.

“The faculty can be from civil and environmental engineering, landscape design, architecture, interior design, plant science, horticulture and forestry, visual and graphic arts, performing arts and the humanities and health and social sciences,” said Jennifer Novotny, Union director.

The committee will give guidance and input on topics like location and design of future buildings, major renovations, parking lot locations, outdoor sculpture and art, landscapes, campus signage, as well as lighting.

The committee is new this year and was previously called the Building and Grounds Committee.

It deals with the presidential initiative for the master plan and its design guidelines, which evaluates updates needed around campus to aid its appearance.

The master plan was created in 2002, and the proposed campus changes are expected to occur over the next 25 years.