Western’s Newest Building Has a New Name
The South Campus construction project, formerly known as the Student Development and Success Center, is now the Western Welcome Center, a clearer reflection of the building’s role for future and current students alike.
As construction continues, the building is beginning to take shape as a new arrival point for prospective students and families visiting campus. The building is designed to help future students explore Western, connect with resources and support services, and get a better sense of what life at the university is actually like.
The concept behind the building
The original concept for the Western Welcome Center grew out of conversations on campus, with students, student services, and other stakeholders, about ways to ease some of the challenges that keep students from enrolling or lead them to leave Western without graduating.
"From my perspective, Western has, for a long time, needed a ‘front door’ — a spot that provides a known and welcoming entry to campus, and a place that is recognizable and connected to campus," said Western's Provost Brad Johnson. "It makes good strategic sense to occupy that space with essential student services, services for prospective students and their families, and for visitors and events, all in one place."
One of the first concerns was Western’s lack of a welcoming entry point for prospective students, their families, and other visitors. By clearly marking the arrival point on the campus core and directing visitors to a centralized information source, the welcome center will assist with recruitment and help prospective students connect to educational resources and the campus community.
In addition, the current locations of support services are not easy to find and access. Bringing together services to help students transition to life on campus, explore academic options, and chart their educational course will support recruitment and retention and help students establish a path to thrive and graduate. Combining these services with the welcome center, a café, and other informal gathering spaces will also create a social hub where prospective and current students can connect and interact.
About the new name
University leadership decided in May to change the name to the Western Welcome Center to better reflect the building’s primary purpose as a welcoming arrival point for prospective students, families, and visitors. The updated name also aligns with similar facilities at peer universities and helps create a clearer, more recognizable starting point for future students navigating campus for the first time.
With some of the basic information out of the way, let’s walk through some FAQs about the Western Welcome Center (WWC).
What offices will be moving into the Western Welcome Center?
The offices of Admissions, Orientation and Transition, and the Academic Advising & Student Achievement Center will be the main tenants. The site will also have flexible study and meeting spaces, a cafe, covered outdoor seating, and a food pantry.
When did planning for the new building begin?
Planning began in 2020 as part of the 2021-23 Capital Budget Request process. Capital funds, which are typically used for construction and renovation of long-term assets like buildings and utility infrastructure, are separate from operating funds, which pay for day-to-day operations.
To support the needs of prospective and current students and connect them with educational resources, the capital planning group and university leadership decided to request pre-design funding for a welcome and support center. Pre-design started after the state appropriated funds. A student survey early in the process and student representation in planning groups helped identify students’ strongest priorities for a new welcome center and keep teams focused on student needs and experience.
How is the WWC’s construction funded?
The majority of the funding is from State Capital Appropriations ($48.175 million). The remaining funding of $6 million is split between student fees, contributions from University Residences, and contributions from Chartwells as committed in their contract with the University.
When will it be finished?
Construction is expected to take about 18 months, with completion scheduled for fall of 2027.
Will the new building meet accessibility guidelines?
The building will be fully accessible and is designed to be physically and culturally welcoming. Paths leading to the building will be built for easy navigation, and entry doors will have ADA openers. Paths through the grounds will also be accessible, allowing everyone to enjoy outdoor amenities. An elevator will provide access to the second floor, and restrooms will be ADA accessible and gender neutral. Furniture, equipment, layout, and finishes will be functional and aesthetically pleasing, and large windows will bring in natural light, connection to the outdoors, and beautiful views of campus.
What efforts are being made to lessen ADA impacts during construction?
Throughout construction planning, the team has been working with the Disability Access Center and the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance to mitigate accessibility impacts. Although the path on the west side of the site provides required ADA access, concern about the length of the route around the site prompted the project team to work with disability services and the outdoor maintenance team to design and build a graded path near the east side of the construction site. The path, which is now open, bypasses the stairs at the southeast corner of Flag Plaza and allows direct ADA access to the academic buildings east of the site from the south. In addition, signage is in place to help pedestrians navigate around the site.
Questions about the WWC that we didn’t answer above? Send them to Lisa Brennan, communications manager for Facilities Development and Operations.