5 things to know about the Student Success District

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Many of us have not been on main campus for the last year. But one central construction project – the Student Success District – has been moving forward the whole time. To help you get caught up, here is the first installment in a series of articles about the new spaces and centralized resources students and employees will find as they return to campus.

1. The 9-acre Student Success District connects the Main Library, the Albert B. Weaver Science-Engineering Library, Bear Down Gymnasium and the Bartlett Academic Success Center.

With student input, the District was created to improve the student experience. There will be one area – bounded by University Boulevard, Cherry Avenue, Fourth Street and Highland Avenue – where library services, learning support, tutoring, advising, mentoring, career services and health programs can all be found.

2. Renovations of the Main Library provide unique ecosystems for research and learning.  

Students from all disciplines and majors will be able to access University Libraries' cutting-edge creative spaces, individual quiet study rooms and digital technologies for collaborative and individual learning. Feedback about furnishings and indoor and outdoor study spaces was incorporated in the renovations, which began in 2018 and were completed in late 2020. University Libraries has continued to provide resources, services and support since last spring.     

3. The Bartlett Academic Success Center is open!

The four-story building, completed in December, houses programs such as the Thrive Center, Student Engagement & Career Development, the Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques Center and THINK TANK. The Bartlett Center also serves as a hub for central and college academic advising.

4. The last piece is the preservation and renovation of Bear Down Gymnasium.

The project team is paying careful attention to preserving iconic elements of the gym's exterior and interior, including the suspended mezzanine bleachers and the gym floor. The new look is a modernized take on one of the most historic buildings on main campus. Once completed, Bear Down Gym will become the heart of the District.

5. The District aligns with the University's strategic plan.

Among the goals in the University's strategic plan are increases in student recruitment, retention and graduation. The District moves the University closer to achieving these key goals.

Liesl Folks, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, is excited and proud that the Student Success District project has reached an important milestone with the completion of the Bartlett Academic Success Center and the completed renovation of the libraries.

"Student success is the highest priority for us here at the University of Arizona. The District's structure demonstrates our commitment to inclusion and access for all students on our campus and provides them with easily accessible resources to reach their academic and career goals," she said. "I am very excited to see these facilities coming to life, and look forward to witnessing the positive impact they have, now and for years to come."

Melissa Dryden, senior program coordinator in Planning, Design and Construction, and Nina Bates, director of operations and strategic initiatives in the Office of the Provost, contributed to this story. For more information about the Student Success District, contact Bates at ninaari@arizona.edu.