The Science & Engineering Library is a premiere space on campus. In November of 2017, CP/EVC Tromp and University Librarian Cowell charged the Science & Engineering Library Space Planning Advisory Task Force with the following purpose and objectives to guide decisions related to the renovation of the building in light of a five million dollar grant:

• Articulate a set of guiding principles to optimize space use in the S&E Library, given the campus’s interest in promoting collaborative teaching, student success, and access in STEM.
• Ensure that the principles developed are attentive to the needs of the increasingly diverse pool of UC Santa Cruz students enrolled in STEM.
• Assess and rank requests for space (both short and long term), with priority given to those proposals that advance STEM education and student success with careful consideration paid to the budgetary implications of each proposal.
• Make recommendations for the partial renovation of the third floor, which will be supported by a $5 million donor grant.

The task force, chaired by Don Smith, Professor of Microbiology & Environmental Toxicology, submitted its final report on June 4, 2018. CP/EVC Tromp and UL Cowell approved the following recommendations to move forward:

• The allocation of approximately 1200 assignable square feet on the second floor of the Library to the STEM Scholars Hub, funded as part of the HSI Initiative. As part of the space transfer, the Library and STEM Scholars Hub established conditions, requirements, and operational considerations consistent with the library's strategic directions and recommendations in the S&E task force report.
• The partial renovation of the third floor funded by the five million dollar grant. Planning is underway for this project.  
• The removal of empty stacks on the first floor, which increased study seating by 35% for a total of 349 seats.

As CP/EVC Tromp states in her communication thanking the task force, “the task force report is essential to us as it is a principal source of information needed to determine the best use of this vital campus resource.”

The final report is linked here for your information. Decisions regarding the other recommendations are forthcoming.