*This message was sent to faculty and staff on Feb. 7, 2025.
Dear campus community,
Last summer, the Comprehensive Facilities Plan identified the need to right-size the campus footprint through space realignment. We are writing today to confirm our intent to relocate academic functions from the Performing Arts Center building to Stewart Hall prior to the start of the 2025-26 academic year. This move is part of our ongoing commitment to making better use of our spaces while working to create more vibrant and dynamic experiences for all members of our campus community.
A farewell opportunity for the Performing Arts Center building will be provided later this spring. Please look for more details in the future. The last day that the Performing Arts Center Building will be open to the public is May 9, 2025.
Classes scheduled in Performing Arts Center for spring semester will continue as scheduled. For the fall semester, courses will be reassigned to rooms in other buildings.
With the changes in the academic portfolio and recognizing that some programs have been discontinued, it is anticipated that the space needed to meet the academic requirements can be substantially reduced. Over the coming weeks, Academic Affairs, Facilities Management, Information Technology Services, and Public Safety will work closely with the dean and academic departments to confirm that the academic functions can continue to be met in other locations on campus and to manage impacts. Light remodeling will occur in Stewart Hall to prepare classrooms and learning lab spaces for the relocated functions.
Ritsche Auditorium in Stewart Hall, which is the main performance venue for St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra as well as other premiere events such as commencement, will continue as the primary performance space for the university.
While we understand that change can sometimes be challenging, we believe that this relocation presents an opportunity to improve the student learning and faculty/staff working environment. We appreciate your flexibility and cooperation during this transition period and look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.
Details regarding the upcoming moves will be shared with the impacted students, faculty and staff throughout the next couple of weeks.
Comments you would like to share can be sent to [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support.
Dr. Larry H. Dietz, President (Interim)
Dr. Katherina Pattit, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Interim)
