The master planning process is moving into the next phase, and it is time for the affected departments to put their two cents in.

The new science building, which has been designated as Eastern’s next major capital project, will be part of the plan. The new facility will allow the space-constrained departments in Coleman Hall to spread out as well.

“Since we’re talking about a science building, the science units are needing to be engaged,” said Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The units in Coleman Hall are involved because the science building will have an effect on what’s left in Coleman.”

Consulting firm Loebl Schlossman and Hackl was given data about Eastern’s existing facilities and grounds and presented the involved department chairs and unit directors with a questionnaire at a meeting April 7.

Steve Shrake, associate director of facilities planning and management for design and construction, said one-on-one meetings will be conducted in the last week of April and first week of May to discuss each area’s needs and the questionnaires.

Lord said every master plan begins with the idea that all areas of the university will be affected, but the university’s financial constraints have narrowed the units and departments involved.

“This update to the master planning process will focus on quite a number of the academic units, though, unfortunately, not all of them that are in need at this time because of finances,” Lord said. “As we focus the master plan update, the units most likely to have some direct affects from the facility changes in the next 10 years. The reality of the financial limitations resulted in not every academic unit being taken to the second level of analysis.”

The capital campaign, currently in its silent phase and the largest in Eastern’s history, will play a role in funding and developing parts of the plan.

“One of the things that will be important is that some of our future dreams are going to be articulated in the capital campaign statement,” Lord said. “There are some programmatic initiatives in there that are going to need to be somehow articulated in the master plan.”

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or seruholl2@eiu.edu.