Creating gathering spaces for students and easy access to services are part of a campus-wide plan at the University of Arkansas at Monticello to improve student success and the overall student experience, according to Chancellor Karla Hughes.
“Gathering spaces for students and easy access to services was the overriding concern when I met with students after arriving in January,” Hughes said. “Spaces for our students to study together and engage in both the academic and social aspects of a campus are critical to the overall student experience.”
UAM leaders are discussing a number of possibilities for the Monticello campus as well as the Crossett and McGehee campuses.
“If we are to see enrollment growth, we cannot wait until we reach our goals to improve infrastructure,” Hughes said.
One of the areas under consideration is the Visual and Performing Arts Center, which has served a number of roles through the years.
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“If that project comes to fruition, we want to begin renovations by next August, which means we would begin relocating people after graduation to minimize disruption during the academic year,” Hughes said.
Conversations have begun with unit representatives to determine space needs in order to identify comparable space and appropriate student service operations that might be housed in the VPAC.
“No one is going to be displaced without re-assigned space and classes will not be disrupted,” Hughes said. “Anything of this magnitude is complex and requires discussions, analysis, and planning on many levels. Change can make people uneasy and prone to misinformation. It is understandable why some may be feeling anxious, but with progress comes new opportunities for our students.”
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