Planning for the campus center began in the Fall of 1995. A planning committee consisting of representatives from the faculty, students, and staff initially developed the program over a two-year period with Larry Gleason, Project Planner from CPMI, Construction Management Planning Services.

As the Campus Master Planning process was initiated in the fall of 1999, another Campus Center Committee was convened to review the plan developed by CPMI. Representatives of the faculty, staff, and students met with Tom Kearns, from Shepley, Bullfinch, Richardson and Abbott Architects and Richard Dober, from Dober, Lidsky, Craig, and Associates, campus and facility planning consultants to further develop the program. The planning process concluded in the spring of 2001. Tom Kearns, submitted a final report to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

During the Fall of 2001, the Board of Trustees selected Cesar Pelli and Associates, Architects to design the building. The Planning Committee was convened again to conduct a final review of the program developed by Tom Kearns and to discuss the program with representatives from Pelli Architects.