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And older students will continue to make their way to college and university campuses with the expectation that they will have access to an affordable, high-quality post-secondary education on a secure and welcoming campus.

Meeting those expectations will be more difficult as education institutions have to lay off instructors, aides, custodians and other personnel; raise class sizes; eliminate programs no longer seen as affordable; delay or cancel needed facility expansions and equipment upgrades; and defer the upkeep that enables facilities and equipment to last longer and continue to perform effectively.

Some of the areas covered include: budget/funding, community colleges, construction, sustainability, technology, and enrollment, leadership.

An upturn for commercial construction is expected in 2012, but institutional construction is projected to be steady, according to AIAarchitect:

The nonresidential construction market is expected to recover this year, but late enough in the year that 2011 spending levels are unlikely to see any growth over 2010 levels. A consensus 2 percent construction spending decline in 2011 will hopefully indicate the bottom of the recession trough and set the stage for a recovery in 2012. After falling around 30% on an inflation-adjusted basis last year, commercial construction is expected to see a modest decline this year, while the downturn for manufacturing should be greater. Institutional building activity is projected to stay near 2010 levels.

As the nonresidential recovery strengthens, 2012 is expected to produce stronger gains. Overall building construction should rise around 5 percent, with growth twice that rate for the more cyclical commercial sector. Spending on institutional buildings is projected to increase a more modest 1.6 percent.