How does one make space for student success? At Cal Poly, it begins with efficiently using available physical space.
The university’s Space Optimization initiative is crucial to growth and a key to sustaining Cal Poly’s academic reputation and mission.
In practice, this means strategically relocating all staff-serving amenities from different locations across campus into one building and putting all student-facing centers into a conveniently located facility — creating convenience and efficiencies.
Moving these entities then makes their old space available for academic purposes such as classrooms and labs.
The largest initiative update has been the acquisition of Mustang Business Park in 2023 and the relocation of non-academic staff to this off-campus facility in 2024. This move opened 50,000 square feet of critical student-serving space in the campus core.
The University Space Committee — a group of stakeholders from across campus affected by this change — are determining the best and highest use of campus facilities.
The committee’s goals are:
- Have new classrooms online by Fall 2025
- Improve space utilization and increase staff within existing facilities
- Take a strategic approach to space optimization
- Recapture classroom space
- Improve department synergies
- Strengthen faculty ecosystems
- Strengthen student ecosystems
Any questions or feedback can be submitted to spaceoptimization@calpoly.edu.