Purpose

To establish a mechanism to ensure that the campus landscape will develop in an organized manner that recognizes the university's commitment to providing a beautiful, educational, and environmentally friendly setting.

Definition

Campus landscape additions generally include plantings and irrigation systems, but they may include structures such as the clock tower, a fountain, statue, or memorial. Landscape additions may have a combination of natural surfaces, including ponds, and hard surfaces. A hard surface such as a sidewalk or brick patio may be referred to as a "hardscape."

General Policy

Any vice chancellor may sponsor and propose a campus landscape addition, in concurrence with funding approval, and in consultation with the Office of the University Architect. The sponsoring vice chancellor must follow the procedures outlined herein to ensure the appropriate inputs and to allow adequate estimation of initial and continuing costs.

The university architect provides a coordinative role for estimating costs or, for projects greater than $100,000, invoking capital improvement procedures. (See VCB 1.10.)

Additionally, all proposals must be submitted to the following for review and comment:

Chancellor's Cabinet

Arboretum Curator

Faculty Senate Building and Grounds Committee

The purpose of these reviews is to obtain comments from individuals or committees that are charged with guiding and facilitating the future growth and development of the landscape character, consistent with the philosophies contained in either the Campus Master Plan or Landscape Master Plan.

The chancellor reviews the proposal recommendation and comments, and approves with final presentation to the Board of Trustees if warranted by the scope, cost or nature of the project. Approval of the Board of Trustees is also required before any naming opportunity may occur.

See flow diagram below.
 

Flow Diagram

VCB 1.15 - Campus Landscape Additions

1.      Project Initiation.

The project representative initiates the process by submitting a proposal (including a summary sheet) to a sponsoring vice chancellor. The proposal should contain the following minimum pieces of information:

• A clear description of the project and purpose.
• Name of the project representative who will be the primary contact.
• Any work already done on the project.
• Strategies and schedule for pursuing the project; i.e., will there be fund raising or will the sponsoring vice chancellor be contributing funds toward the project? Are there any time constraints?
• Proposed siting, in consultation with arboretum curator.
• Any environmental considerations.

2.     Project Cost Estimate.

The sponsoring vice chancellor should consult with the university architect to obtain an estimate of funding to accomplish the project as proposed.

The university architect will provide an estimate based on the conceptual proposal or, if warranted, the university architect may recommend procurement of design services to obtain a better estimate. If design services are required for this purpose, then the sponsoring vice chancellor will fund the design services. An alternative approach may be to select from existing designs.

3.     Review and Approval of Concept by Chancellor's Cabinet.

The Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs and the sponsoring vice chancellor will submit the completed project proposal with summary sheet as an agenda item for Cabinet review and approval of concept.

If approved by the Cabinet, then funding sources will need to be confirmed.

4.     Review and Comments of Approved Concept by Arboretum Curator.

If approved by the Cabinet, the Associate VCBA-Facilities will route the project to the arboretum curator for review.

If required, the arboretum curator will consult with others (such as grounds superintendent).

The arboretum curator may also work with the project representative to make amendments to the proposal. If such amendments do not significantly alter the estimated cost (greater than 10%), then the proposal will not need to be reviewed again by the Cabinet. If there are significant alterations, the project representative should resubmit as a new proposal.

5.     Review and Comments of Approved Concept by Building and Grounds Committee.

The Associate VCBA-Facilities, in consultation with the sponsoring vice chancellor, will route the project to the Faculty Senate Building and Grounds Committee.

The building and grounds committee will review the proposal and add comments in order to advise and make recommendations to the chancellor.

6.    Chancellor Approval and Presentation to the Business Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

With the chancellor's approval, the project will be presented to the Business Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and to other committees of the BOT as appropriate.

Approval of the Board of Trustees is required before any naming opportunity may occur. Otherwise, approval by the BOT committee(s) is necessary only if warranted by the scope, cost or nature of the project.

7.     Project Assignment and Completion.

Procedures for a special project (see VCB 1.10), or a capital improvement project (see VCB 1.20), as applicable will be invoked to design the project and establish dates for commencement and completion of the project.