printable versionVantage Point: Moving in the right direction and in the right way
BY JOHN ETCHEMENDY
John Etchemendy
Staff members in the Serra buildings and elsewhere have been learning this summer about plans to move important administrative offices initially to Porter Drive in the Stanford Research Park and, eventually, to our new Redwood City campus. More news will be announced this fall and winter as plans are completed.
In the meantime, I wanted to address my greatest concern as we move forward: I worry that staff members who are moving off the core campus will interpret this as a diminishment of their roles in achieving Stanford's mission or of their value to the institution. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It is ironic, given the size of Stanford lands, that we find these moves necessary. But it is a direct result of the restrictions on academic growth imposed by the General Use Permit. We thought long and hard about how best to live within those restrictions while still meeting our educational mission. We have found that research and teaching work best when faculty and students from different disciplines are able to work in close proximity. It is a remarkable and rare asset that an undergraduate can pursue research at the Medical School by simply crossing the street, or that law, economics and engineering professors conducting research on water resources can meet easily to collaborate. So we very reluctantly came to the conclusion that we had to move some administrative offices away from the core campus governed by the General Use Permit to continue to make that academic integration possible.
Deciding which offices to move is a painful responsibility because every office at Stanford plays an essential role in carrying out our mission, and the excellence of each office contributes to the overall excellence of Stanford. In the end, the decision must be based on which functions can still be performed effectively at a slight distance from the central campus, recognizing that any office we move will have to rethink how it does business. We know that the distance will inevitably result in inconvenience for both those who have to move and those who remain on campus but rely on the services of the relocated offices.
That's where the Work Anywhere Task Force comes in. This group will be critical in mitigating the effects of a changing work environment on staff members and on their workplace satisfaction. I am pleased that Capital Planning and Space Management and Business Affairs are reaching out to affected staff, holding town meetings and surveying needs. They are readily available at work_anywhere_facilities@lists.stanford.edu if you have questions or concerns.
The Serra offices are not, of course, the first university facilities to move off the core campus. Even before that move occurs, some 200 School of Medicine administrators will have moved to space in Menlo Park. Among others who have already moved are some development offices, as well as the University Press, Highwire Press, some research compliance staff and several Medical School research facilities. We even have a large library facility in Livermore. I'm happy to say that employees who have moved to these locations not only adjust, but also report that there are advantages to their new locations. Convenient parking is always high on that list!
Stanford is not the only university facing land-use challenges. Other universities, even more land constrained than Stanford, have been forced to move portions of their campuses to neighboring cities and towns to accommodate growth. Case Western is a good example of a campus that has changed its work environment, and we've been in close contact with colleagues there to learn from their successes.
Stanford is blessed with the best and most loyal staff of any university in the country. I truly believe that, and I never tire of saying it. That loyalty stems in part from the institution's inspiring mission and the pride we all feel about being part of that mission. But loyalty also results from being a great place to work, and we have to do everything we can to make sure the move off campus does not change that for those affected. Access to transportation, affordable food and exercise opportunities are among our priorities.
As we implement the Porter Drive move and plan for the new Redwood City campus, we will be mindful that Stanford staff members take great pride in their work and in the importance of the university's mission. We face significant challenges as we design attractive and productive workspaces for those whose offices will be located off the core campus. Our intent is to ensure that no matter where they are located, staff members always know they are part of Stanford.
John Etchemendy is the provost of Stanford University.