Simpson College administrators, with the help of an outside firm, are looking 50 years into to the future.

Ayers-Saint-Gross Inc., a Baltimore based architectural firm is returning to Simpson Jan. 22 and 23. They will be meeting with administrators to further discuss ideas brought forward during their initial visit to campus last year.

What if Hillman was renovated and the student center was there rather than at the Brenton Student Center? Would it be better if there was not any street-side parking? Does Simpson utilize its campus space appropriately?

Those are a few questions being considered by Ayers-Saint-Gross and will be addressed further over the next several months.

According to Simpson President R. Kevin LaGree, Ayers-Saint Gross and members of the Simpson community have been developing the campus master plan since last spring. Ayers-Saint-Gross has made visits to the campus twice this academic year.

The consultants came to Indianola to measure space, get ideas of what needs to change, what the people of Simpson like and to show ideas they believe will be good for the school to the community.

In May the final master plan will be presented to Simpson’s Board of Trustees.

“The ideas will just be ideas. Nothing is guaranteed. This is just a plan that will guide Simpson for the next 50 years,” LaGree said.

Next week the consultants will meet with people of the Simpson and Indianola communities to discuss the East Precinct, which is all of the campus east of C Street. Between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Jan. 22, Ayers-Saint-Gross will be holding it’s first East Precinct workshop in Camp Lounge in B.S.C.

LaGree said the firm encourages students to come to these meetings and give feedback on how they feel about the campus. He said they are interested in hearing how people think the campus looks and functions or if there are changes that are needed.

“Ayers-Saint-Gross will look carefully at the campus between C Street and the old Hy-Vee building. They will concentrate on the campus needs internally and externally. Feedback from Simpson is needed for them to create this master plan,” said Kelley Bradder, vice-president of informational services. “Ayers-Saint-Gross will present to the Board of Trustees their new ideas for Simpson’s master plan on Jan. 23.”

The firm will return in March to concentrate on the area west of C Street. LaGree said feedback is again wanted and needed for the collaboration of Simpson’s master plan.