UConn is continuing to explore ways to enhance its Avery Point campus, including offering one of the University\u2019s most popular majors there starting this fall and gathering information to inform discussions on a proposal to add student housing.<\/p>\n
The Board of Trustees on Wednesday, April 23 approved plans to start offering a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychological sciences<\/a> at Avery Point, where students pursuing that major must currently either commute or transfer to other campuses to finish their required coursework.<\/p>\n Trustees also approved a planning budget to assess factors that will provide more information to help assess the scope, cost, and feasibility of developing a residence hall<\/a> and dining facility on the campus.<\/p>\n Those reviews will include checking the preferred site for bedrock and other variables that could affect construction costs. Trustees will use the information to inform their discussions this spring, possibly as early as June, about next steps on the housing proposal.<\/p>\n UConn has been considering several ways to enhance offerings<\/a> at its Avery Point campus for several years in consultation with local and state leaders, residents, industry officials, and other community stakeholders.<\/p>\n The discussions also include looking at engineering concentrations on campus that would complement the region\u2019s industries, while continuing to build academic and cultural connections with the area\u2019s Tribal Nations as part of a historic partnership announced in late 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anne D\u2019Alleva, UConn\u2019s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said many of the Avery Point students majoring in psychological sciences have been commuting to and from Storrs to complete their requirements, despite the lack of mass transit between the sites.<\/p>\n Offering it at Avery Point from start to completion will draw newcomers interested in that major and help retain current students who otherwise might have transferred to Storrs for the convenience, even though they preferred the smaller Avery Point campus experience.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is one the programs that students themselves identified as important to them,\u201d D\u2019Alleva said. \u201cThis will be a very important addition \u2013 it is one of the largest majors at UConn and very popular with our students.\u201d<\/p>\n UConn has also been considering the feasibility of developing a 250-bed residence hall and 125-seat dining facility on the Avery Point campus.<\/p>\n