Campus Eagerly Awaits Opening of New Hub for Students

By Ed Hayward

This spring semester will mark the opening of the Campus Center, a watershed event for UMass Boston that will provide students with improved services, the spaces they need, and the facilities they deserve, according to project supervisors.

The 331,000-square-foot building designed by Boston architects Kallmann, McKinnell and Wood and constructed by Suffolk Construction will gradually fill with offices essential to student life and the services required by UMass Boston students.

The first new building on campus since 1982, the center will provide a dramatic gateway to the campus. It is expected to become the focal point of activity for students, faculty, staff and the wider university community.

"This building has spaces where people can get together, hang out, study, explore, eat, talk and meet with staff," said Stephan Chait, associate vice chancellor for administration and finance in charge of the project. "That is something that everyone has said we lack. This building addresses those deficiencies."

In the new center, students will find services that include financial aid, admissions, registrar, bursar, student employment, the bookstore, career services, a game room, ATMs, the student life offices, as well as the offices of the vice chancellors for student affairs and enrollment management.

Departments and services will relocate to the center in phases beginning in February and March, according to Chait and Campus Center Director Anne Devaney. The "grand opening" for students and the university community will take place the week of March 29. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for early April, and planning is under way for an opening gala fundraiser later that month.

Chait said people should not be intimidated by the size of the building, which was constructed at a cost of approximately $75 million. There are design features that incorporate sunlight, open spaces, and innovative materials, which all enhance the beauty of the building.

"The building is large, but it is extremely elegant," said Chait. "There are finishes that give a real quality to the architectural spaces." Finishes include carpeting in certain areas, terrazzo flooring on two floors, as well as wall finishes of marble, plaster, and wood.

In addition to its unusual materials, the building will be the only one on campus with its own management team. In addition to overseeing operations, Devaney will coordinate a unique building governance system.
The Campus Center Advisory Board, made up of a majority of students and representatives from campus departments, will review policies, set priorities and make recommendations, she said. The Campus Center Occupancy Council will be made up of representatives of organizations whose offices or services are in the building. Operating somewhat like a tenants' association, the council will address a range of issues about standards for use and occupancy of the building, said Devaney.

Image: The new Campus Center, seen here from Dorchester Bay in August, is slated to open for business in the spring semester 2004. (Photo by Harry Brett)

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