Phase I Report - Program Areas

Overall Growth of UTSA

Over the next twenty-five years, UTSA will have to build many new buildings. Several factors will contribute to this growth. The first factor is that growth at UTSA has accelerated beyond predictions of even a few years ago and shows no signs of slackening. Growth projections for the term of this master plan can be seen in the figure.

Secondly, UTSA has historically had a shortage of space. This has meant that UTSA has utilized its classrooms and laboratories more efficiently than many other institutions, but as UTSA continues to grow, even incremental improvements in efficiency will do nothing to accomodate the increased numbers of students. Furthermore, UTSA must increase its allowances of space per student in order to compete effectively as a flagship institution.

Other factors in the need for more space are UTSA’s success in retaining students and in attracting an increasing number of full time students. The most telling measure of the size of a student population is the number of full-time equivalent students (FTSEs). This is calculated by dividing the number of semester hours taken at the university by fifteen to yield the equivalent number of full time students. This contrasts with headcount students, or the total number of enrolled students regardless of course load. As UTSA becomes less commuter-centric, the number of full time students will rise even more rapidly than the number of headcount students, and more space will be required to accomodate this growth. UTSA’s growth rate is affected by the university’s ability to retain more students because higher retention rates equate to a larger student body.

Space Projection Model

The academic program areas were calculated using the THECB Space Projection Model. This is updated annually to measure a theoretical space allocation versus actual space utilization for all Texas universities, colleges and vocational schools. The model divides the academic uses into five categories: teaching, library, research, office and support space. Teaching spaces are classified as one of four types of program areas based on usage. For example, an architectural design studio requires more space per student than a lecture room for mathematics. The model applies these three program areas to the number of undergraduate, masters and doctoral full time student equivalents (FTSE) to calculate the total assignable square feet (ASF). Figure 45 shows the total teaching space requirements (not separated by campus) through term of the master plan.

Library space is calculated using a formula that includes the number of volumes, the number of degree programs offered, and the number of students (Figure 46). Research areas are derived from a projection of the average research dollars spent during the last three years (Figure 47). Office area is calculated by a projection of the number of faculty and staff (Figure 48). Support spaces are obtained as a proportion of the other factors.

The following assumptions have been made in calculating these projections:

• The fall semester typically has the most credit hours and classes and was used for the model.
• UTSA offers a large percentage of evening classes but is anticipated to evolve into a more traditional pattern (approximately 7% evening use) during the life of the master plan. The THECB Space Projection Model does not reduce space allocations for evening classes, and the program areas listed in this report have similarly not been reduced.
• Currently, 60% of the students at the Downtown Campus also attend class at the 1604 Campus. In the future, 30% of the students at the Downtown Campus will also attend class at the 1604 Campus.
• The number of academic programs offered will be:

  	2000	2005	2010	2030
  Undergraduate	51	51	56	80
  Graduate	36	36	45	80
  Doctoral	3	11	15	50

• The number of tenured/tenure track professors is projected to increase by 1000 from current levels.
• Research expenditures (federal portion) have been assumed to reach an amount which will rank UTSA in the top 100 research institutions, adjusted for inflation.
• UTSA projections indicate a growing number of doctoral students (645 by the end of the master plan term).
• Graduate students are projected to account for 15% of the student population by the end of the master plan period.
• The ratio of FTSE to student headcount is anticipated to reach 0.75. This figure is consistent with institutions comparable to the type of institution UTSA intends to become.
• Programs that will be primarily located at the Downtown Campus will be:
• College of Urban Professional Programs (Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Social Work)
• Architecture

Figure 49 totals the areas predicted by the THECB Space Projection Model. The new program requirements are calculated by subtracting the existing buildings from the total need. The year 2004 actual areas do not include the the Main Building or the Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building. These buildings are included in later actual areas. No further construction has been shown in the model beyond 2005.

Teaching space projections

Library space projections

Research space projections

Office space projections

Area Summary

2004 Actual Areas (UTSA total)
1,568,634 ASF
87.5 ASF per FTSE
63.6 ASF per headcount student

Full Build-out (UTSA total)
4,090,357 ASF 126.8 ASF per FTSE
95.1 ASF per headcount student

Academic Program

Provide 2,945,057 ASF at the 1604 Campus to support 31,000 students, to include:

• All existing buildings: (861,231 ASF)
• The Main Building: (118,484 ASF)
• The Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building: (106,508 ASF)
• Future Phases totaling 1,815,640 ASF

Future phases of growth at the 1604 Campus are equal in size to approximately 16 Business Buildings, or more appropriately, four Business Building-sized buildings and eight larger buildings. The design team has assumed that significant growth will also occur at the Downtown Campus. Growth at this campus will be addressed in a separate master plan.

These figures are subject to variation, of course, depending upon the details of how growth occurs in different program areas at the two campuses. For example, if more part-time students are enrolled at the Downtown Campus than the UTSA average, the required area at the Downtown Campus would decrease, with a corresponding increase at the 1604 Campus.

To preserve open space for other program items, it may be necessary to construct larger buildings in lieu of smaller buildings, or to add an additional floor to buildings to create greater density on the site. The original buildings and the Sombrilla Plaza were built on the center of a small hill. The slope of the hill may allow an additional floor to be included in some new buildings without making these buildings taller than the original buildings.

General Parking

Provide a total of 10,900 parking spaces for general use

In the fall semester of 1999 there were 6,099 parking spaces at the 1604 Campus, excluding 939 parking spaces at Chisholm Hall and the University Oaks apartments. During times of peak usage, 92% of all spaces at the 1604 Campus were occupied. The traffic consultants have reviewed this level of peak utilization and believe it to be an acceptable maximum for future growth. They recommend applying the 1999 ratio of parking spaces/student population to future growth in the master plan. This growth corresponds to an additional 1,840 parking spaces above the 2004 levels at the 1604 Campus.

The campus currently has about 8,800 spaces, not counting parking planned in the near future. About 2,100 additional spaces will be required to fulfill parking needs. The school must build more than that many additional spaces, however, because some existing spaces will be eliminated by buildings. Two additional factors could impact the peak parking usage at the 1604 Campus in the future: the population of the Downtown Campus is planned to double during the next twenty years, and on-campus housing capacity is planned to increase to 20% of the overall student population. Because the rate of growth at the Downtown Campus may be faster than at the 1604 Campus, the actual increase in the number of students, staff and faculty at the 1604 Campus may vary from the projections presented here. Also, because more students will live at the 1604 Campus (by percentage), and their parking requirements are listed separately, there should be a decrease in the percentage of students driving to class. These factors may help decrease the 92% peak parking utilization percentage.

Figures 51 and 52 (and others) show a green area adjacent to the parking lots. This area, at 60% of the size of the parking lots, is the approximate area of a vegetative strip for filtration of water run-off. As more open space is covered by impervious cover, vegetative strips will not be a workable solution for dealing with runoff. Alternative strategies such as retention ponds should be investigated.

Housing

Provide 3,400 additional beds
Provide 3100 total parking spaces for 6200 residents (one space for every two residents)

UTSA would like to have on-site housing for 20 percent of the students at the 1604 Campus (6,200 beds). Currently, there are 500 beds at Chisholm Hall, approximately 1,300 beds at the University Oaks apartments, and 1,000 beds at Chaparral Village. A total of 3,400 additional beds are required to meet the 20 percent goal.

An adjacent dining facility will be a full service cafeteria for the residents of Chisholm Hall and the first phase of Chaparral Village. If residential complexes are located at more than one area on campus, additional dining facilities may be required.

Another housing suggestion has been made to construct 300 beds in apartment-style housing and associated recreation facilities on the grounds of the South Texas Medical Center (in association with the UTHSCSA). This idea would benefit students who are studying at a joint program at both UTHSCSA and UTSA, and would alleviate some of the housing demand at the 1604 Campus. The master plan design team suggests that UTSA's vision of an increased student presence at the 1604 Campus would be best served by expanding the housing and recreation facilities at the 1604 Campus prior to developing off-site. Higher housing density may be achieved by removing low-density housing, like University Oaks, and replacing it with higher density construction.

Athletics

Office Space, weight rooms, training rooms
Convocation Center expansion/remodeling:

• Offices
• Dressing Rooms
• Ticket Center and Office
• Concession Outlets and storage
• Hospitality/Conference Room

" 'If you build it they will come' is very true in the world of athletic recruiting and as an aid in drawing fan support."
-UTSA Athletic Department, June 2000

The program items listed here have been identified by the Athletic Department as necessary components of a competitive sports program. The master plan design team has edited the list to remove items too small for consideration in an overall campus plan (such as remodeling projects). Also, removed are items that the Athletic Department does not envision occurring at the 1604 Campus or items that would be too space-intensive for development at the 1604 Campus.

Parking for baseball, softball and other uses will be provided in adjacent UTSA lots with no additional construction required assuming that the existing lots satisfy accessibility standards. The soccer and track facility should include dressing rooms, public restrooms, press boxes, ticketing, concessions, and maintenance/storage facilities. In order to operate the athletics facilities more efficiently, it is optimal to site the facilities so that operations such as concessions and ticket offices can be shared as much as possible.

Campus Recreation

Wellness/Recreation Center addition
Eight multipupose fields (to accomodate a 110-yard x 65-yard soccer field)
Four softball fields (300', fully fenced)
Equipment check-out/Rec. Sports building with restroom facility
Two 50-person covered pavilions
Two 200 person covered pavilions
One 350-person covered pavilion with:

• Adjacent grill area
• Restrooms
• Sinks and counters
• Roll-up enclosure for inclement weather
• Electric, telephone and data hook-ups

One theme of particular emphasis at all public, student and faculty/staff discussions was that more should be done to promote wellness and recreation on campus. These elements were considered an important part of the academic experience.

The new Recreation/Wellness Center provides an indoor gymnasium and is sufficient for current office needs, but it is not large enough to accommodate the additional requirements of a growing student population. To that end, the designers of the new building planned for a future expansion which is needed now.

In addition to the new building, Campus Recreation requires many new outdoor facilities. Intramural sports require playing fields with an adjacent structure containing equipment storage, restrooms and drinking fountains. This facility should have telephone and data hook-ups. Grouping together of all the fields in one area will simplify the staffing and supplying of different activities. If fields cannot be grouped together, then the storage and restroom facility must be duplicated.

Softball fields should be 300 feet from home plate to the outfield fence. The fields should be completely fenced and should have dugout areas, bleachers, and scoreboards. Multi-purpose fields should be large enough for flag football, soccer, lacrosse, and rugby. These uses require a playing area of 110 yards by 65 yards with room on the sidelines and ends for benches, bleachers, and scoreboards.

The running/walking/bicycling trails should have exercise stations and an approved surface or combination of surfaces such as rubberized track material or crushed granite. Asphalt would be an acceptable, but not preferred, surface. The trail might be developed in circuits or loops and should lead to open spaces and to Campus Recreation facilities.

All pavilion areas should be adjacent to playscape equipment as well as open grass areas for unstructured play. All pavilions should have ceiling fans and barbecue grilling areas. The 50- and 200-person pavilions should be within close walking distance of restroom facilities, and the 200-person and 350-person pavilions should have sinks, stainless steel food service counters, sound systems, and electrical, telephone, and data hook-ups. The ropes course may be located in this general area as well. Parking for recreational facilities is accomodated in the general parking requirements. Parking should conveniently located.

The aquatics facilities at Chisholm Hall require renovation. Although important, this work is not likely to affect the design of the master plan. The locker room facilities are especially lacking.

University Center

Provide an expanded University Center facility to include:

• Meeting/Conference/Ballroom space
• Expanded food services
• Game room/lounge space
• Retail spaces
• Visitors’ center
• Art gallery

Student Life has observed that the University Center is quite busy and needs more space to operate. For many years there has been discussion regarding the benefits of creating a ballroom and meeting center across the west paseo in what is now parking lot 9. The ballroom would be able to accommodate 800 to 1,000 guests in a lecture style arrangement.

The concept of a parking structure adjacent to the University Center was depicted in the 1993 master plan update. That plan envisioned three structures located around campus with a total capacity of roughly 2,000 cars. The 300-car structure in this master plan program is approximately half the size of the structure envisioned in 1993. If possible, the placement and design of this structure should allow a doubling of its capacity in a future phase. The architectural guidelines suggest that to create better public spaces, public functions such as the retail, meeting rooms and ballroom spaces should be placed on the paseo side of a parking structure. The number of parking spaces at this facility should be subtracted from the general parking requirement.

Additional required parking should be provided only for patrons who would not otherwise be on campus during the peak hours of usage. Because these factors are unknown, the design team has assumed that the ballroom will not create additional parking demands on the campus.

Performing Arts Center

Provide a performing arts center to include:

• A main auditorium for approximately 2,500 people
• A smaller theater for 1,000 to 1,200 people

It is assumed that the required parking for this facility will be provided at existing and future general parking facilities on campus.

Special Events Center

Provide a special events center for 10,000 - 12,000 people
Provide 55 handicapped accessible parking spaces

Parking should be provided at a ratio of 1 space for every 2.25 spectators, corresponding to 4,450 spaces. This requirement can be accommodated with existing UTSA parking facilities. Fifty-five handicapped accessible spaces should be provided in close proximity to the building.

Programmable Signage

Provide a programmable sign (similar to the Alamodome sign) on Loop 1604
Provide a programmable sign in front of the Convocation Center

Campus Marker/Icon

Study alternatives for a tall architectural marker/icon for the 1604 Campus:

• Bridge Tower
• Bell Tower
• Signage on Loop 1604

Vehicular and Pedestrian Circulation

Provide a north-south connector road Provide additional entries to the campus. Provide an extension of the paseos to new areas of campus

The traffic consultants concur that the north-south connector and new points of entry shown on the 1993 master plan update (Figure 61) would greatly improve the circulation and image of the campus.

Summary - Program Areas

This figure depicts the major components of the building program and the 1604 Campus site plan drawn at the same scale. The task of the master planning process is to fit these components onto the site, yet to hold with the goals and objectives laid out for the master planning process. Because of the significant increases in enrollment and research projected for the next 20 to 25 years, it is likely that land must be acquired in order to accomodate all of the components of the building program.