The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Board of Trustees has approved a new campus master plan which calls for the construction of $100 million in new facilities in the next three to seven years.
The plan outlines priorities for new construction as well as strategic renovations to create effective academic centers, expanded residential areas, and centralized activity zones for students.
The plan’s major projects include
- a 70,000-square-foot academic building to house the university’s flagship nursing program;
- a student union building offering more than 100,000 square feet for residential and retail dining, a banquet hall, a modern bookstore, student organization rooms and social spaces for student interaction and learning;
- a center for the visual arts with classrooms, faculty offices, studios, and gallery space;
- an on-campus football stadium with seating for 8,000 to 10,000 spectators;
- a 500-to-600-seat performance hall designed for musical and theatrical productions.
The new Campus Master Plan was formulated in response to 30 years of significant growth at UMHB as well as forecasts that the demand for Christian higher education at Mary Hardin-Baylor will continue to grow in the years to come. The new master plan is the most ambitious expansion of facilities ever planned for the university, calling for simultaneous construction of several major buildings as well as relocation of major parking areas to the periphery of the campus.
“There has been a growing sense of momentum at UMHB,” said Gordon Wiggers, chair of the Board of Trustees. “The trustees have weighed the emerging needs of the university and prayed for wisdom as we have looked at ways to meet those needs. We are confident that this plan is the course we should take as we look forward to an even brighter future for the university,” he said.
“Our vision is for the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor to be the university of choice for Christian higher education in the Southwest,” said President Randy O’Rear. “It is a bold vision, but as the word continues to spread about the outstanding academic programs at UMHB and our highly dedicated faculty and staff who are devoted to each individual student’s success, we believe it is a destination within our reach. State-of-the-art learning facilities and an exciting campus environment that encourages students’ growth in all facets of their lives will be critical to the achievement of this vision.”
O’Rear said that several teams have already been appointed to formulate plans for the major facilities. With the trustees’ approval of the campus master plan, the process of drawing up architectural and engineering plans will begin immediately.
The approved Campus Master Plan calls for $100 million in new facilities, which is the largest capital investment in the history of UMHB. University trustees have recommended that the plan be underwritten through a combination of gifts and grants, debt, and funds already set aside for campus improvements. Locations and specifics about the new buildings will be unveiled as plans for each move forward.
