Campus Master Planning Team is Gathering Feedback

Eastern Washington University is hosting a town hall to gather feedback that will help finalize its Campus Master Plan, a state-mandated undertaking that happens once every 10 years.

Eastern’s campus community will have an opportunity to preview a draft of a plan and provide comments during a virtual town hall from 12:30 –1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19. The meeting will be accessible using this Zoom link.

Students, faculty, staff and members of the larger university community are encouraged to attend.

“We really want to hear from across the whole campus because the more people who participate, the more accurate the master plan will be,” says Kris Jeske, director of construction and planning and interim associate vice president for capital planning.

Planning for the Campus Master Plan, which will provide a framework that builds on past and current efforts to create a vision for the future, began in November. The Campus Master Plan seeks to preserve the unique character of EWU’s campus and promote the university brand, while also reflecting and embracing the broader community, according to the planning website.

Jodi Kittel, project manager for construction and planning services at EWU, is overseeing the master planning process. She says the upcoming Town Hall will provide a great opportunity for members of the campus community to get involved in something that makes a positive impact for years to come.

The university’s planning consultation, DLR Group, has been collaborating with a steering committee that includes approximately 18 members from EWU and the larger community. They also have conducted a series of focused listening sessions with groups across campus and were provided with previous plans and studies to ensure continuity with the previous plans.

Over the past few years, students, faculty and staff have pitched in to help with numerous studies and feedback sessions. Those efforts contributed to the following studies and plans that will be incorporated into the larger master plan:

EWU Strategic Plan
Strategic resource allocation
Decarbonization plan
Geothermal GSHP study
EWU sustainability initiatives
Climate Resiliency Landscape Master Plan
Prairie Restoration Project
Current and planned construction projects
Housing plan
Dining plan
Student journey map

Two preliminary studies were conducted last year to provide additional context for the Campus Master Plan.

The Facility Condition Assessment, completed in June 2025, involved reviewing the interior and exterior of each and every building on the Cheney Campus, including aging historic buildings, as well as the university-operated structures in Spokane.

The Suitability Assessment, completed in October 2025, looked at existing spaces and usage, examining schedules, availability and other factors to analyze where more space may be needed or if any area has room to spare.

Some 250 students, faculty and staff participated in the most recent survey, Kittel says. Those responses, along with insights provided by campus members during a February town hall, will factor into the final plan.

Kittel says the ongoing feedback has increased awareness of a need for additional student study spaces – one of many reasons she hopes students continue to engage in this process.

When it comes to deciding how resources are allocated, the Campus Master Plan will provide a larger context for how the campus might grow and evolve over time, Jeske says. Although the plan doesn’t establish set priorities, he adds, having that larger vision will help EWU make its case when seeking state funds for large projects and, also, determining how smaller projects utilizing university resources are ordered.

After the Campus Master Plan is finalized, it will be presented to the EWU Board of Trustees for approval, with an estimated completion date of June 2026.

You can learn more by visiting the Campus Master Plan website. In addition, Jodi Kittel is available for questions or feedback at constructionplanning@ewu.edu.