|
Dedication of Student Services Center Set for May 11
Pat JaCoby | April 30, 2007
An historic moment in UC San Diego annals will be marked
May 11 when spirited dedication ceremonies are held for the new Student Services Center, a centralized hub for student life and gateway for visitors. Campus and community members are invited to attend.
The 2 p.m. event in the center’s outdoor plaza will include a variety of speakers representing the university and community. Joseph W. Watson, vice chancellor of Student Affairs, will serve as master of ceremonies, and speakers will include Chancellor Marye Anne Fox; Judy Sakaki, UC vice president of Student Affairs; Diana Getrich Villegas, executive director, Barrio Logan College Institute; Garo Bournoutian, Graduate Student Association president, and Marco Murillo, Associated Students president. Music will be provided by the UCSD Pep Band.
|
| New Student Services Center |
|
As the program ends, colorful banners citing “welcome” in 13 different languages will be unfurled from balconies and 500 blue and gold biodegradable balloons will be released. Tours and a reception will follow the ceremony. Mae Brown, assistant vice chancellor, Admissions and Enrollment Services, said the event is planned to be student-centered and reflect school spirit.
Designed by well-known San Diego architect Rob W. Quigley, the five-story, 76,000-square-foot building at the corner of Rupertus and Myers Drive will house more than 400 UCSD employees and serve as a centrally located resource for students to complete student-related business transactions and receive critical academic and administrative support services. Additionally, the new structure is expected to receive some 40,000 visitors a year in its multipurpose room, making it one of the most visible and widely used facilities on campus.
The Student Services Center is the first facility completed in UCSD’s planned “new downtown,” and replaces old Camp Matthews military quonset huts. It anchors the heart of the University Center neighborhood and defines and connects three different campus open spaces.
Among departments serving students—from prospective to undergraduates and
graduates—located in the new building are Financial Aid, Registrar, Admissions and Relations with Schools, Student Policies and Judicial Affairs, Student Safety Awareness Program, Student Business Services, Central Cashier, Office of Graduate Studies, and two restaurants. The 300-person capacity multipurpose room, which serves as a hub for the admissions process, will be available for student organizations or for community use on weekends.
The building was designed with numerous environmentally friendly LEED-self certified sustainable features. On the exterior of the building, recycled plastic lumber sunscreen provides an appealing aesthetic while shading south and west facing glass, contributing to passive cooling of the building. The site selection criteria included good solar access and orientation. Taking advantage of the optimal solar resources, the natural lighting meets the majority of daytime lighting needs. Additionally, high performance glazing was used to maximize day-lighting while also providing energy efficient insulation. In the restrooms, tiles are made from recycled glass, while partitions and countertops are made from recycled plastic. Urinals are waterless and water efficient lavatory aerators were installed.
Many people-friendly elements are included in the building, such as covered arcades to provide shade from the sun and protected space for studying and group activities. The main circulation space is a vast outdoor courtyard, eliminating the need for an interior lobby.
And as a bonus, the top floors offer some of the best panoramic views of the campus and surrounding community. |
