IRVINE, CA-UC Irvine is frequently referred to as “UnderConstruction Indefinitely” for good reason. Being one of thefastest growing UC schools in the system, this 1,475-acre campushas taken on approximately 18 significant construction projectssince early 2005 to accommodate for current and future growth.

One of the campus' most important undertakings was a studentcenter expansion, which held its Phase IV grand opening celebrationOct. 25 and 26. “The last expansion that the student center hadundergone was in 1990,” Marc Tuchman, director of the studentcenter, tells GlobeSt.com. “When we opened that facility up in 1990it didn't take too many years before we recognized that we wereoutgrowing our space. The demand was greater than the facility wehad.”

Demand at UC Irvine has indeed grown. With more than 25,000current students, 1,800 faculty members and 8,600 staff, the oldstudent center, like many other campus facilities, would have beenbursting at the seams today. Instead of waiting for that to happen,however, students, advisory boards, executives and other keyuniversity personnel chose to expand.