Excited about the opportunities that an expanded ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ downtown presence would offer students, ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ Board of Trustees members unanimously approved the downtown campus concept on Thursday.
The ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ Downtown campus, proposed on about 15 to 20 acres in Orlandoβs Creative Village, would build from the strengths of ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs other academic programs in the area. ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs Center for Emerging Media and its graduate video game design and development school, the , are across the street from the Creative Village site.
Board of Trustees members Thursday approved a working proposal for the new campus, which included information about likely academic programs, student support services and staffing and anticipated costs.
βAround the country, many great metropolitan downtowns have strong higher education presences,β the proposal said. βThis opportunity in downtown Orlando β the nationβs 13th fastest-growing city according to Forbes β will connect students with a variety of businesses, government entities, and nonprofits.β
Proposed in several phases over multiple years, ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ Downtown could first incorporate academic programs focused on the Center for Emerging Mediaβs existing strengths β arts and digital media.
University leaders and the ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ Downtown Academic Programs Team have also recommended programs from the Nicholson School of Communication and WΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ TV and WΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½-FM relocate downtown, with a desire to add programs in the areas of health and public affairs, which could also benefit from synergies in the downtown location. Final decisions about which programs would relocate downtown are expected by the end of the semester.
The downtown campus also would be home to a first-of-its-kind education program allowing students with intellectual disabilities to take courses and fully participate in college life.
ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ leaders are scheduled to provide further information about the downtown campus to the Florida Board of Governors in February.