A message from Dr. Sam Polk

Dr. Sam Polk

Associate Vice President for Business and Finance, Director of Facilities Management, and Chair of the Facilities Development Committee

I am pleased to report that the Tennessee State University Physical Facility Master Plan Development is now under way and we on the steering committee are very excited and eager to assist in the process.

The development of a Facility Master Plan will enable the university to implement the changes needed in the built environment that will allow it to carry out its mission, achieve its vision, and affect the important and cherished values that govern the physical development of the campus.

In this regard, we all have a wonderful opportunity to help shape the future of our university for the next five years and out to the next 20 years. As Pulitzer Prize winner Archibald MacLeish once said, “The future is won by those creating the future and not the ones trying to maintain the status quo.”

Taking the lead in the Master Plan process is the Facility Development Committee appointed by President Johnson and he asked that I serve as chair. We have an excellent and diverse committee with a make-up of faculty, staff, students, alumni, community leaders, and both local and state government representatives. We assure you that all constituents will have an opportunity to be involved. Many of you have already responded to requests for information and participated in various work sessions.

I am pleased to say further that we are assisted by an excellent Master Plan consultant, the BKV Group (Boarman, Kroos, Vogel), based in Minneapolis, Minn., which was selected through a competitive bid process. You may have met BKV representatives during our kick-off planning meeting which took place in July. During an intense two days, the President’s Cabinet, Facility Development Committee, and more than 16 campus units gathered in small work groups to discuss their vision, aspirations, and needs for the future. Over the coming months we will have similar meetings.

Our goal is a completed plan by the end of July 2008. While this is a little ambitious, we believe if we work together we can make it happen. To do so we certainly need your participation and I urge your continued support of this most important institutional development.