Challenges
What’s your biggest challenge? Let us help you find the resources.
Planning Types
Making decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic is incredibly difficult. The risks are high, the future is ambiguous, and the situation is complex. These resources on recovery planning can help your college or university in its response and mitigation efforts.
Recovery planning develops and executes initiatives in response to crises, emergencies, and disruptive events. It’s an integrated approach that helps institutions mitigate consequences in the short-term while also determining a long-term path forward.
Recovery planning brings together three planning disciplines: scenario, contingency, and continuity planning:
COVID-19 affects every campus function, large and small. These resources will help you respond in a way that’s integrated and aligned.
Get quick, timely problem-solving advice from planning experts with boots-on-the-ground experience. We’re here to help. Let’s talk!
How are your peers responding to the impacts of COVID-19? Sign up for this email-based community to ask questions, share your ideas, and learn from other SCUP members. Available to members only.
Chapter 13 of College and University Budgeting, 5th Edition by Larry Goldstein, discusses the difficult decisions that arise when an institution faces severe economic challenges—whether driven by broad-based economic catastrophes, natural disasters, or simply poor management—and offers both short- and long-term responses to difficult financial times. Shared courtesy of NACUBO.
Higher education has become accustomed to a volatile environment. How do institutions navigate through this volatile environment? Scenario planning. Scenario planning generates multiple well-crafted contradictory narratives about the future to anticipate possible outcomes of environmental forces with the potential to impact an institution.
Select from the list below to jump to resources on that topic, or scroll down to browse.
Assessment, Institutional Effectiveness, and Accreditation
Campus Planning and Learning Spaces
General Resource Lists for Higher Education
Resource Lists From Other Organizations
Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education
Added to this page April 7, 2020.
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
Key questions for presidents and chief academic officers as institutions navigate the challenging waters of accreditation and assuring quality.
Published April 7, 2020.
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
A listing of the institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations that are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and are providing information about any changes that these accrediting organizations are making to their standards or practices during COVID-19.
Published March 27, 2020.
Quality Matters
Quality Matters is the global organization leading quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments.
Added to this page April 7, 2020.
Hunter College Office of Assessment
Regular updates. Added to this page April 14, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
William Knight, Assistant Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Miami University
In this conversation, William Knight, Assistant Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Miami University, addresses how his team has developed data dashboards for administration and faculty to provide insight into Learning Management System (LMS) use, enrollment projections, and overall student access and success. He then discusses trends he’s noticed at HLC and thoughts on how campuses can begin discussions around staff capacity, curriculum success, and sunsetting programs, ultimately strengthening their sustainability and easing accreditation work.
Published April 7, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Debi McDonald, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable (Host) | Pete Zuraw, Gordian (Moderator) | Jean Robinson, University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Dave Proulx, Rhode Island School of Design
This webinar is part of the series “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
With the entire academic community scrambling to establish what higher education looks like this fall, planning has been even harder than usual. And yet the pandemic opens opportunities to consider an entirely new set of choices previously unavailable to those guiding their institutions forward. Each and every urgent decision being made on campus today has the potential to define an entirely new future campus. The drivers for those decisions may or may not be creating a desirable new future.
Recorded July 9, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Donna Denio, Campbell-McCabe and BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable (Moderator) | Joseph Allen, TH Chan Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety & Health | John Macomber, Harvard Business School
This webinar is part of the series “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
As we reopen campuses, offices, and stores, to whom do we listen for assurance that the physical environments are indeed reasonably safe? There is guidance, but there are no guarantees. However, it is possible to use objective measures—health performance indicators—to gain and publish a level of confidence in the preparation of spaces and the activities of staff, students, and faculty. In this webinar, Harvard’s Joseph Allen and John Macomber discussed their new book, Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, and in particular, what are best practices today as organizations think about prudent return. This session was moderated by Donna Denio, Founder and Co-Chair of the BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable.
Recorded June 23, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Karen Lu, AIA Minnesota and Snow Kreilich Architects (Moderator) | Anna Pravinata, AIA Minnesota and Alliiance | Mary Jo Spector Florida State University | Scott DeBlaze, University of Chicago Medical Center & Biological Sciences Division, Pritzker School of Medicine
This webinar was hosted by American Institute of Architects Minnesota, with content collaborator The Society of College and University Planning.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for laboratory environments. As we look forward to the reopening of labs post-COVID-19, this webinar will provide some considerations that will guide the creation of a safe and healthy lab environment as well as discussions on real challenges from universities’ perspectives.
Recorded June 10, 2020.
SCUP 2020 Pacific Regional Conference Presentation (registrants and purchasers only)
Lakshmi Chilukuri, Provost, Sixth College, University of California, San Diego | Walt Kanzler, Senior Director of Design and Development Services, University of California, San Diego | Robert Clossin, Director of Campus Planning, University of California, San Diego | Thom Greving, Principal and Regional Design Director, HKS | Upali Nanda, Principal and Firmwide Director of Research
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is implementing its Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) to transform the physical environment into a premier destination for students, patients, faculty, staff, and the community. While this vision remains intact, the pandemic has tested campus resiliency. We will share how UCSD is navigating the fall semester and its overall vision for the campus, including opening a living and learning neighborhood to enhance student life and success in the midst of the pandemic. Come learn about this project’s guiding principles, research-based design, lessons learned, and best practices for adapting to a changing environment.
Recorded September 24, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Elliot Felix (Moderator), Founder and CEO, brightspot strategy | Adam Griff (Moderator), Managing Director, brightspot strategy | Lilian Asperin, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Partner, WRNS STUDIO | Luanne Greene, President, Ayers Saint Gross | Jonathan Moody, Chief Executive Officer, Moody Nolan | Michael A. Nieminen, Partner, Kliment Halsband Architects | Sarah Sachs, Principal, Buro Happold
As colleges and universities pivot to more online learning and remote work while meeting new demands for the wellness and safety of our campus communities, this panel will reveal what we can learn about new directions in campus planning and design.
What are the panelists observing and planning for future learning environments based on their experience from a diverse range of higher education institutions? What will be temporary, and what is permanent? What are the opportunities for adaptive reuse of existing buildings? For new ways of working and learning?
How will this change how architects, engineers, and other consultants need to support institutions in the future? How will these professions change as a result? It’s not about creating prescriptive plans for what we will do, but rather how we will assess, learn, and adapt.
Recorded September 22, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Pete Zuraw, Vice President, Market Strategy and Development, Gordian (Moderator) | Michael McCormick, Associate Vice President Asset Management and University Architect, University of Washington | Mina Amundsen, Assistant Vice President, Facilities and Capital Planning, Colby College
Presented by SCUP in affiliation with Gordian
Higher education has been responding in crisis mode since spring and racing toward an entirely new kind of academic year this fall. How can we turn this experience into productive new strategies for planning and leadership?
Existing siloed decision making would not have allowed for a successful response to the rapidly changing conditions brought on by the pandemic. The integrative process of short-term planning effectively brought together academic, financial, and physical planning, and presents a unique opportunity to continue work across traditional planning silos and modes of learning and living.
The challenge is to balance the risk from many, smaller short-term decisions to the institution’s missions and future goals, with a constructive trigger for change to produce new creative windows and outcomes with thoughtful planning.
Recorded September 17, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Amanda Markovic, Project Architect, GBBN Architects | Jennifer McDowell, Director of Design and Construction, Carnegie Mellon University
Nobody knows when campus will return to full capacity, but in the short term, there are things that can be done to bring students, faculty and staff back smartly and appropriately. Campus life will look different, but what’s wrong with different? We want our students to feel safe, supported, stay healthy while maintaining a different on-campus experience for every student.
Recorded September 16, 2020.
SCUP 2020 Pacific Regional Conference Presentation (registrants and purchasers only)
Jeffrey Ashley, Professor of Chemistry and SCUP Fellow, Thomas Jefferson University | Scott Montemerlo, National Program Manager, Education, Teknion | Peter Hendrickson, Associate Vice Chancellor, Design & Construction, University of California-Los Angeles | Royce Smith, Dean, Montana State University-Bozeman | Leesa Beck, Director of Summer Sessions, University of California-Santa Barbara | Moderated by: Jennifer Milliron, Principal, LMN Architects
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions have been making pedagogical changes that will impact the long-term future of higher education. This session will explore how institutions can move away from “crisis teaching” and towards a mindfully-redesigned and thoughtfully-delivered curriculum spanning a range of models, from virtual to hybrid to in-person learning. Institutions must quickly adapt their curricula in order to provide quality education in a post-COVID era. Come learn how you can prepare your institution to meet current needs and future challenges in learning through sharing ideas and experiences with your peers.
Recorded August 28, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Catherine Walsh, Associate Vice President, Facilities Division, Northeastern University | David L. Damon, Principal and Higher Education Practice Leader, Perkins and Will | Maureen Kirkpatrick, Vice President/Operations Manager, Turner Construction Company | Hosted by: Niusha Arndt, Project Designer, Perkins and Will, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable | Donna Denio Client Service Representative, Campbell-McCabe, Co-Chair, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable
This webinar is part of the series “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
This webinar will focus on how higher education campus construction is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its positive and negative implications on construction sites on the MIT and Northeastern University campuses. Panelists will share case studies of how on-campus construction has changed, the new supply chains, and staff management consideration. They will review construction opportunities due to the pandemic, and how to plan for modifying existing facilities to respond to evolving campus needs.
Recorded August 26, 2020.
SCUP 2020 Pacific Regional Conference Presentation (registrants and purchasers only)
Bryan Alexander, Internationally-known Futurist, Researcher, Writer, Speaker, Consultant, and Teacher | Diane Stephens, Associate Vice President for Academic Resources and Planning, California State University, Northridge | Elliot Felix, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, brightspot strategy | Wendy Hillis, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect, University of California, Berkeley | Moderator: Kim Patten, Partner and Higher Education Practice Leader, Steinberg Hart
Institutions are adapting their strategic plans, layering the impacts of technology, and thinking towards the future during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to provide students with a quality education, institutions must learn, test, and implement changes quickly. This session will explore the core issues, challenges, and opportunities that are shaping higher education and uncover the breadth of adaptation that institutions must undertake in this time of disruption. Come learn how to better prepare to meet your institution’s current needs and future challenges by sharing implementable ideas and insights with your peers.
Recorded August 14, 2020.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
Greg Havens
In context of COVID-19, institutions are developing new approaches to online learning at an unprecedented pace. Looking ahead, this great experiment may offer lessons for broadening the definition of accessibility. Three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act established minimum accessibility standards for the built environment, this moment of accelerated change presents a unique opportunity to utilize hybrid delivery models and universal design principles to rethink accessibility. Sasaki principal Greg Havens examines how continued emphasis on improvements to the physical environment, when combined with hybrid learning and services, could transform the way we plan the human-centered, accessible campuses of tomorrow.
Added to this page July 14, 2020.
Scott E Page, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and the Santa Fe Institute
This site provides frameworks and strategies to help leaders at every level of an organization plan a safe reopening that maintains core functions, keeps employees, customers, and communities safe, and makes work meaningful despite proximity constraints.
These strategies build on ideas from complex systems and network theory. Eliminating or diminishing the spread of the virus while maintaining organizational function and a sense of purpose and meaning among employees is possible. Note that this site emphasizes general tools and strategies that can be adapted as our understanding of the virus improves.
Added to this page July 14, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Michelle Santoro, Skanska USA Building | Frank Baxter, Skanska USA Building
As campuses consider re-opening plans, from staff for summer hours to students in the fall, environmental health and safety is critical. Michelle Santoro and Frank Baxter from Skanska USA Building moderated this Coffee Chat about strategies, lessons, and plans for safely re-opening.
Recorded July 1, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Samuel Florio, Director, Risk Management and Compliance, Santa Clara University | Susanne K. Johnson, ARM-E Director of Risk Management, Iowa State University
This webinar was hosted by the University Risk Management & Insurance Association (URMIA) and extended to SCUP members.
This discussion focused on the various resources publicly available for higher education institutions to review as they begin to contemplate how and when to re-open their physical locations. At recording time, the presenters had recently completed the URMIA “Checklist of Checklists for Returning to Campus,” in conjunction with the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
Recorded June 25, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Co-Host and Moderator: Rena Cheskis-Gold, Principal and Founder, Demographic Perspectives | Co-Host and Panelist: Laura Pirie, Principal and Founder, Pirie Associates | Panelists: Michael Perez, Associate Vice Chancellor, Vanderbilt University; Jennifer Stone, Partner, Robert A.M. Stern Architects; Pam Schreiber, Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Executive Director, Housing & Food Services, University of Washington
This webinar was co-hosted by Demographic Perspectives and Pirie Associates, in affiliation with SCUP.
COVID-19 has left universities overwhelmed and struggling to rapidly shift to new ways of operating effectively. Focusing on the interactions between people, policy, facilities, and technology is more important than ever on higher education campuses. The short-term solutions colleges are now implementing need to be embraced as lessons for the long-term. What can we learn from others working in and with higher education? What are the challenges, priorities, and solutions and, where are the opportunities to change the way campuses operate for the future?
Recorded June 8, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Tyler Patrick, Chair of Planning and Urban Design and Principal, Sasaki; Dano Weisbord, Executive Director of Sustainability & Campus Planning, Smith College; Rob Sugar, Planner & Designer, Sasaki
COVID-19 has turned the world of higher education upside down. After years of wondering if online learning would ever replace place-based learning, it suddenly did . . . literally overnight. Yet, for all the creativity and engagement we’ve managed to squeeze out of Zoom and other online platforms, many students and faculty long for a return to the physical classroom. Will anyone ever complain about an 8:00 AM or Friday class again?
While it’s daunting to have to reconfigure classrooms and reexamine pedagogy and campus operations, in the best light this pandemic offers an opportunity for rapid experimentation and innovation. Panelists from leading planning and design firm Sasaki and Smith College discussed how institutions can dig into their existing classroom data to engage in scenario modeling and clearly understand how classroom capacities and scheduling will shift this fall.
Recorded June 18, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Susanna M. Baker, Director of Facilities & Space Planning, MIT Sloan School of Management; Bill Bahnfleth, Leader of ASHRAE’s Epidemic Task Force, Former President of ASHRAE (worldwide), Professor of Architectural Engineering at Penn State University
This is the third in a series of webinars, “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
As the fall semester approaches, college and university campuses are adjusting their facilities to create a safe environment for students and faculty who are returning to campus. Panelists Susanna M. Baker, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Bill Bahnfleth, ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and Penn State University, discussed requirements for a typical campus upgrade and reviewed ASHRAE recommendations on improving campus safety in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also addressed some of the unique challenges for an urban campus response to maintaining campus safety.
Recorded June 15, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Pamela Garbini, Penn State, Assistant Director for Space Management, Planning Design & Properties | Tom Kase, Penn State, Classroom Architect, Planning Design & Properties
We are all trying to figure out how to safely bring students back to classrooms for the fall semester. A discussion about 6-foot physical distancing layout modifications in existing classrooms, reduced occupancy yields when dealing with fixed seating versus movable seating, creating instructor zones, creating alternate instruction spaces.
Recorded June 10, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Gary David, Professor of Information Design & Corporate Communication, Bentley University | Linda Jerrett, Director of Learning & Event Technology Services, Boston University
This is the second in a series of webinars, “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
Panelists Gary David, Bentley University, and Linda Jerrett, Boston University, shared what their campuses are currently doing to not only accommodate students and faculty, but plan for the fall and the future of education technology. They described their approaches to decision making during this time when information is limited and the variables are unknown. This session was moderated by Parke Rhoads, a principal with Vantage Technology Consulting Group, who is an expert in strategic campus technology and is currently working with many higher education institutions during this ‘new normal’.
Recorded June 9, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Michelle Maheu, Director for Planning, Design & Construction, Wellesley College | Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, President, Massachusetts Maritime Academy
This is the first in a series of webinars, “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
Panelists Michelle Maheu, Wellesley College, and Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, shared their insights about developing response processes and the potential outcomes on their respective campuses, especially when making decisions when information is limited and the variables are unknown. This session was moderated by Deirdre Fernandes, a reporter with the Boston Globe, who has authored recent articles related to the impact of COVID-19 on Boston campuses.
Recorded June 3, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Brady Mick, Director of Strategic Design, SHP | Lauren Della Bella, President, SHP
The COVID-19 disruption will accelerate the connection of the physical campus to the virtual learning experience. College and university planners who think of their campuses as large, interactive gameboards designed to connect students and faculty with virtually integrated architecture will have an advantage. The future of learning will demand change, and gaming gives us planning clues to build now for our learning demands. SCUPers Brady Mick and Lauren Della Bella moderated this discussion.
Recorded May 27, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Ludmilla Pavlova-Gillham, Senior Campus Planner, University of Massachusetts | Heather Taylor, Campus Planner and Architect, Phillips Exeter Academy | Shira Epstein, Director of Campus Maker Spaces, University of Massachusetts
Amid the pandemic, makers on campuses across the world have pitched in by crafting 3-D printed face shields, ventilator components, and other life-saving innovations. The value of the maker movement is apparent; but how do we adjust maker spaces to a quarantined, social-distancing world?
In a world where we have to be apart, how do creative minds come together? What will be the demand for maker spaces in our new normal? Will programs that haven’t yet integrated maker spaces soon demand them? SCUP members Ludmilla Pavlova-Gillham and Heather Taylor moderated this discussion.
Recorded May 13, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
John Stalvey, Interim Provost, University of Alaska Anchorage
University of Alaska Anchorage Interim Provost John Stalvey explains their “alternate delivery” model, how flexibility and creativity allow them to meet student learning outcome goals during COVID-19, and how they’re supporting the local economy and moving ahead with current capital projects.
Published May 29, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Bret Danilowicz, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Bret Danilowicz discusses how their online-experienced faculty stepped up to assist colleagues, how he’s prioritizing to ensure continuity and assess capital projects, and the importance of pulling together as a community to find ways to help beyond academics.
Published May 26, 2020.
FM:Systems
“One of the most valuable tools possessed by facility management leaders is highly accurate facilities data including spatial information of both employees and assets associated with the day-to-day business operations. FM:Systems created this guide to help you think through employee health and business continuity issues, including how to use workplace management solutions to support your organization.”
Added to this page April 15, 2020.
Example Plan
California State University-Northridge
“As those who managed through the 1994 Northridge earthquake know, decisions about how to best continue campus operations are dependent upon many variables. Decisions are influenced by the nature and effect of the disruption, as well as the academic calendar, particularly during periods when classes are in session. It is this event- and time-dependency that determines which responses can be planned in advance and what response is best determined at the moment, based on available resources.”
Originally published 2008; updated 2019.
EDUCAUSE
Published March 13, 2020.
Vantage Technology Consulting Group
Sometimes IT departments must fast-track changes to expand services and infrastructure to meet new organizational demands. This free workbook is an opportunity to document important changes that could have long-term impact on costs, resources, operational efficiencies, and information security controls.
Published April 3, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Rebecca Fox, Davis Wince, Ltd. | Kathleen Kelly, Davis Wince, Ltd. | Phillip Landgraf, Ricca Design Studios
How is food service delivered safely on campus while encouraging students to explore dining through a lens of health, sustainability, world flavors, and community? Join us for a discussion on food production and distribution in campus eateries during COVID-19. Questions regarding how the pandemic will influence the dining experience, the evolving menu of sustainable, healthy food, variety and choice, and how students come together to share a meal will be considered.
August 5, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Nick Santilli, SCUP | James Downey, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Join Nick Santilli and Jim Downey for a conversation that will highlight the SCUP Spring Trends and SCUP Trends for Canada reports. Scanning the external environment is a key factor in keeping your institution nimble and change-ready—two facets necessary for effective institutional planning. These documents provide overviews of the important external forces that impact institutional operations. They are also essential tools for strategic planning, scenario planning, and contingency planning.
Recorded July 15, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Elliot Felix, brightspot strategy
Presented by SCUP in affiliation with brightspot
While students are generally satisfied, they have found some aspects of the COVID-19 transition challenging, miss the sense of community that campuses fostered, are questioning the value of their education, but despite all this are likely to return in the fall.
To complement this, from our conversations with nearly 40 public and private non-profit colleges and universities, we learned about adapting to remote work, making decisions in the face of uncertainty, adapting spaces and systems for the fall, and emerging from the crisis stronger than before.
In this program, we offer five recommendations for acting on these insights so that colleges and universities can adapt and enhance the programs and places they offer, how they operate, and how they are organized.
Recorded June 24, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Pete Zuraw, Vice President, Market Strategy and Development, Gordian (Moderator) | Michael McCormick, Associate Vice President Asset Management and University Architect, University of Washington | Mina Amundsen, Assistant Vice President, Facilities and Capital Planning, Colby College
Presented by SCUP in affiliation with Gordian
Higher education has been responding in crisis mode since spring and racing toward an entirely new kind of academic year this fall. How can we turn this experience into productive new strategies for planning and leadership?
Existing siloed decision making would not have allowed for a successful response to the rapidly changing conditions brought on by the pandemic. The integrative process of short-term planning effectively brought together academic, financial, and physical planning, and presents a unique opportunity to continue work across traditional planning silos and modes of learning and living.
The challenge is to balance the risk from many, smaller short-term decisions to the institution’s missions and future goals, with a constructive trigger for change to produce new creative windows and outcomes with thoughtful planning.
Recorded September 17, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Amanda Markovic, Project Architect, GBBN Architects | Jennifer McDowell, Director of Design and Construction, Carnegie Mellon University
Nobody knows when campus will return to full capacity, but in the short term, there are things that can be done to bring students, faculty and staff back smartly and appropriately. Campus life will look different, but what’s wrong with different? We want our students to feel safe, supported, stay healthy while maintaining a different on-campus experience for every student.
Recorded September 16, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Moderators: Elliot Felix, Founder & CEO, brightspot; Adam Griff, Managing Director, brightspot | Presenters: Shawna Dark, Chief Academic Technology Officer & Executive Director, Research, Teaching, and Learning, University of California, Berkeley; Cedric Howard, Vice President for Enrollment & Student Services, SUNY Fredonia; Marla Love, Senior Associate Dean of Students, Diversity and Equity, Cornell University; Rick Straka, Vice President of Finance and Administration, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Lora Strigens, Vice-President for Planning and Facilities Management, Marquette University
Presented by SCUP in affiliation with brightspot strategy
How can colleges and universities become more adaptive in the wake of COVID-19? This interactive panel discussion will bring together different institutions’ perspectives from facilities, technology, student services, and finance to understand the impact of COVID-19 on institutions and their student experience.
The discussion will be organized in three parts, each with a prompt to inform the discussion, a poll to take the pulse of the audience, and an open discussion among panelists from different roles at different institutions. Following this three-act discussion, we’ll reflect on the key themes from the conversation as a group, and each panelist will offer advice for audience members as to how they can create a more adaptive institution.
August 20, 2020.
SCUP 2020 Pacific Regional Conference Presentation (registrants and purchasers only)
Bryan Alexander, Internationally-known Futurist, Researcher, Writer, Speaker, Consultant, and Teacher | Diane Stephens, Associate Vice President for Academic Resources and Planning, California State University, Northridge | Elliot Felix, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, brightspot strategy | Wendy Hillis, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect, University of California, Berkeley | Moderator: Kim Patten, Partner and Higher Education Practice Leader, Steinberg Hart
Institutions are adapting their strategic plans, layering the impacts of technology, and thinking towards the future during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to provide students with a quality education, institutions must learn, test, and implement changes quickly. This session will explore the core issues, challenges, and opportunities that are shaping higher education and uncover the breadth of adaptation that institutions must undertake in this time of disruption. Come learn how to better prepare to meet your institution’s current needs and future challenges by sharing implementable ideas and insights with your peers.
Recorded August 14, 2020.
American College Health Association (ACHA)
“As a supplement to the two prior ACHA guidelines on COVID-19, this document provides considerations for institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support our most vulnerable populations who are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and the ensuing economic downturn.”
Published August 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Loren Rullman, Vice Provost, Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Grand Valley State University
While the pandemic pivot saw institutions racing to embrace new technologies on the fly, the lasting effects of COVID-19 have given rise to a new way of planning ahead and embracing the ability to see changing requirements as opportunities. Hear how Grand Valley’s Loren Rullman frames the changes to student life with the word “more”—more technology, more options, more outside-the-box thinking, and more action and cultural change—as we look ahead to the transformation of campuses for fall and beyond.
Recorded June 29, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Suzanne Wilson Summers, Special Assistant to the Provost, Austin Community College, and ACE Fellow 2019–2020
One of the most difficult things to maintain when there’s a quick move online is the feeling of connection and community staff and students feel when they’re together on campus. Suzanne Wilson Summers explains how Valencia College, a large urban community college system and her ACE Fellowship host school, harnessed the power of personal outreach to ensure students regained a sense of agency and connection while providing engagement for employees.
Recorded April 27, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Melody Bianchetto, Vice President for Finance, University of Virginia | Larry Goldstein, President, Campus Strategies LLC
The pandemic changed the higher ed landscape, and as we look ahead, this discussion will help you think through enrollment challenges, discuss tuition increases, examine current perceptions of the value of an online education, and consider financial aid for fall 2020.
Recorded June 24, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Lauren Bowen, Provost, Professor of Politics, Juniata College
While transitioning to a fully remote experience in response to the pandemic, rural Pennsylvania’s Juniata College stayed true to its founding tenets of peace, simplicity, and community. Provost Lauren Bowen talks about the liberal arts institution’s deliberate framing of the crisis response as a shift in format, encouraging each constituency to be mindful of its individual needs while managing connections and expectations.
Recorded April 20, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Paula Umaña, Director of Community Impact, Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, Temple University
Students need more than hand sanitizing stations and plexiglass. They need their basic needs addressed. Many college students are part of a vulnerable population with a fragile hold on basic needs like housing, food, and transportation. Temple University’s Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice compiled an extensive set of resources for institutions to use to assist students in locating and applying for necessary aid.
In this episode, The Hope Center’s Paula Umaña discusses caring and communication: the need to identify your most vulnerable students, then ensure that available assistance is visible and easy for them to access.
Recorded April 20, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Brian Williams, Chief of Staff, Roger Williams University
As a campus built on standards of social justice and experiential learning, Roger Williams University used COVID-19 as an opportunity to think creatively about ways to serve its community.
True to its inclusive mission, the school showed its character throughout the crisis and its planning, coming up with personal ways to connect with prospective families, support off-campus communities, and open pathways to learning. Learn why, even in the velocity of immediate planning needs, Brian Williams, Chief of Staff, and his cohorts rejected binary thinking and chose conditions over calendars.
Recorded April 22, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Juanita Cole, Deputy Provost, National Defense University, and ACE Fellow 2019–2020
Having had the opportunity to shadow the president of the University of Maryland at College Park for her ACE Fellowship just prior to the onset of COVID-19, Deputy Provost Juanita Cole of National Defense University got a firsthand look at the difference in crisis responses taken by two unique institutions with distinctive missions.
Those differences now extend to recovery planning. Hear about the juxtaposition of two very different universities working and planning through the same event.
Recorded April 22, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Nick Santilli, Senior Director for Learning Strategy, SCUP | Larry Squarini, Vice President of Product Development, SPOL | Tony Adam, Senior Training Consultant, SPOL
This is the first in a series of complimentary, interactive webinars, “Planning in Times of Crisis and Beyond: Reviving Your Strategic Planning Process,” hosted by SCUP in partnership with SPOL focusing on planning for the new normal and beyond.
In this episode, our experts discuss how institutions are living through the pivot and how scenario planning can fuel recovery.
Recorded June 17, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Dori Landry, Senior Associate and Director of Client Relations, Ayers Saint Gross | Nancy Sturm, Principal Consultant, Sextant Group / NV5 Engineering & Technology
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and harness your emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving, to regulate your own emotions when necessary, and to help others do the same. The coronavirus pandemic is proving to be the greatest test of emotional intelligence in a generation. Like all crises, the coronavirus pandemic has pressurized personal and professional life. It’s time for a check-in: How are you doing in this crisis? Share your experience in this interactive chat.
Recorded June 17, 2020.
OpenSmart.EDU
“The COVID-19 Planning Guide and Self-Assessment for Higher Education is designed to be a practical planning tool to help institutions in two ways. First, the guide poses four central questions to determine if your institution is prepared to reopen for each of the major COVID-19 Phases. Second, the guide is organized into leadership, cross-functional, and functional workgroups to support comprehensive planning efforts across various institutional groups. The guide also contains links to guidelines, resources, and media reports to further supplement institutional planning.”
Updated June 12, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Robert Schultz, Department Chair for Teacher Education, The University of Toledo, and ACE Fellow 2019–2020
During his year of ACE fellowship, Robert Schultz, department chair for teacher education at the University of Toledo, had a front row seat as Ohio State University adjusted to COVID-19, seeing firsthand the remarkable pivot a large institution can make when its leadership has spent significant time and effort on teamwork development. He discusses the need for collaborative governance and transitioning to the planning and change leadership that is necessary for schools to effectively strategize for what’s next.
Recorded April 23, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Gary Crosby, Vice President for Student Affairs, Alabama A&M University, and ACE Fellow 2019–2020
Following a February visit to his ACE fellowship institution in New Jersey, Alabama A&M’s Gary Crosby brought back with him a sense of planning urgency, even though COVID-19 had yet to strike in his state. That head start allowed his university to recommit to their student-centered mission, enabling the creation of an engaging campus-like virtual student affairs experience. Find out how his team is maintaining that momentum with fluid early recovery planning.
Recorded April 23, 2020.
SCUP Report
Nicholas Santilli, Senior Director of Learning Strategy, SCUP, and Former Provost, John Carroll University
There is no doubt that the present environment for higher education has become significantly more complex. What makes the current circumstances more difficult is COVID-19 has intensified the impact of the range of forces already pressing on higher education.
For many institutions, institutional viability and constituents’ health and wellbeing are the most pressing concerns—strategic plans are no longer top of mind. How to move forward? SCUP suggests that the principles of good planning serve as a blueprint for responding to COVID-19.
Published April 8, 2020.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
Linda Baer, Senior Consultant in Higher Education | Ann Hill Duin, Professor, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Published May 20, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Rick Miranda, Provost and Executive Vice President, Colorado State University
Colorado State University Provost and Executive Vice President Rick Miranda shares what his team learned during their COVID-19 response: upgrading their teams’ ability to communicate regularly was what kept things moving forward, allowing critical everyday elements to proceed without interruption.
Published May 29, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Doreen Larson, President, Edison State Community College
Dr. Doreen Larson, president of Edison State Community College in Piqua, Ohio, discusses the ways her team used the power of advance planning to take control and thrive during the COVID-19 crisis. Learn about their online initiative, expansion of technology in a rural community, and how they’re growing enrollment in an uncertain time.
Published May 14, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Pat McGuire, President, Trinity Washington University
Support for underrepresented students must continue now and in a post-COVID-19 world. How is this getting tackled in an all-women’s undergrad program that serves underrepresented students? Pat McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University (DC), discusses her university’s approach—from crisis planning through contingency planning.
Published April 27, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Jim Downey, Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary | Chris McCord, Acting Executive Vice President and Provost, Northern Illinois University
Jim Downey, VP for planning and institutional effectiveness at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and Chris McCord, acting executive VP and provost, Northern Illinois University, moderated this Coffee Chat on Scenario Planning.
Recorded April 24, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Mike Martin, Associate Dean Science, Math, and Health, John Carroll University
The past month has been trying for all of higher education. How do we transition our constituents from crisis to collaboration in order to meet the needs of the entire campus community? In this conversation, Mike Martin, Associate Dean Science, Math, and Health at John Carroll University discusses how the administration addressed the first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis and how they have creatively shifted gears with students and faculty toward what’s next.
Published April 10, 2020.
American Council on Education
ACE is offering free access to their Engage portal through mid-July 2020. Creating a free account is required to join.
Added to this page April 8, 2020.
Entangled Solutions
Entangled Solutions is a strategy and innovation consultancy for education. Get the latest on COVID-19 emergency planning resources, helpful tips, and resources from experts. Of special interest is the interactive map tracking the latest decisions by US higher education institutions.
Added to this page May 18, 2020.
Suzanne Drapeau, Higher Education Consultant—Strategic, Institutional and Academic Planning
“As the higher education sector, …we need to forge a path forward that considers and integrates both lines of business that we are in—providing individual learning and fostering empathy and resilience in our students so they can thrive in whatever the ‘New Normal’ becomes.”
Published April 2, 2020.
The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice
“The COVID-19 pandemic has particularly acute implications for #RealCollege students and the institutions they attend. They are deeply affected by wealth inequality, economic insecurity, and basic needs insecurity that existed before the crisis. Read more about how The Hope Center is supporting #RealCollege students during this national crisis.”
Regular updates. Added to this page April 20, 2020.
American College Health Association
Added to this page March 25, 2020.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
Daniel I Prywes, Bryan Cave LLP | Scott Sobel, Media & Communications Strategies
Published in 2015.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
Timothy Mann
Published in 2007.
EdSurge
Regular updates. Added to this page March 25, 2020.
American Council of Education
Added to this page March 25, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Gary David, Professor of Information Design & Corporate Communication, Bentley University | Linda Jerrett, Director of Learning & Event Technology Services, Boston University
This is the second in a series of webinars, “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus,” jointly sponsored by SCUP’s North Atlantic Region, BSA, and their BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable focused on the impact of COVID-19 on campuses.
Panelists Gary David, Bentley University, and Linda Jerrett, Boston University, shared what their campuses are currently doing to not only accommodate students and faculty, but plan for the fall and the future of education technology. They described their approaches to decision making during this time when information is limited and the variables are unknown. This session was moderated by Parke Rhoads, a principal with Vantage Technology Consulting Group, who is an expert in strategic campus technology and is currently working with many higher education institutions during this ‘new normal’.
Recorded June 9, 2020.
EDUCAUSE
Added to this page March 25, 2020.
EDUCAUSE
A list of corporations and service providers who are offering special discounts on technology, open educational resources, or support for higher education institutions transitioning to remote work and online learning during the COVID-19 outbreak. The list is sorted in three tabs including technology, OER, and access service offerings.
Regular updates. Added to this page April 8, 2020.
Inside Higher Ed
Regular updates. Added to this page March 24, 2020.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Regular updates. Added to this page March 24, 2020.
Education Dive
Regular updates. Added to this page March 24, 2020.
The Hechinger Report
Regular updates. Added to this page April 14, 2020.
JaffeHolden
Jaffe Holden has a full toolkit of customizable audio and video solutions to help academic spaces quickly adapt to COVID-19 conditions.
Published August 8, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Paul Dale, President, Paradise Valley Community College
Like every other institution, Paradise Valley Community College shifted to deal with COVID-19. But unlike some other institutions, they are looking ahead with excitement.
President Paul Dale explains how he and his Future Thinkers team are finding the pandemic’s silver lining in an exploration of new learning modalities and creative use of technology that they plan to leverage to meet the college’s mission far beyond the crisis.
Added to this page June 29, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Doug Murphy, Dean of Operations, Moody Bible Institute
Transitioning to a Learning Management System (LMS) has been one of the most significant challenges an institution will manage, even prior to the unique challenges emerging around the COVID-19 pandemic. Doug Murphy, Dean of Operations at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, has overseen several LMS transitions in his career, and moderated this discussion.
Recorded June 3, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
John Stalvey, Interim Provost, University of Alaska Anchorage
University of Alaska Anchorage Interim Provost John Stalvey explains their “alternate delivery” model, how flexibility and creativity allow them to meet student learning outcome goals during COVID-19, and how they’re supporting the local economy and moving ahead with current capital projects.
Published May 29, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Bret Danilowicz, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Bret Danilowicz discusses how their online-experienced faculty stepped up to assist colleagues, how he’s prioritizing to ensure continuity and assess capital projects, and the importance of pulling together as a community to find ways to help beyond academics.
Published May 26, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Laurie Shanderson, Founding Dean, School of Health Sciences, Northcentral University
When the world went online, what were the inherent advantages (and challenges) for an institution already based on a distributed education model? Laurie Shanderson discusses the ways her university’s established operations made the transition easier, and why connected communication and integrated planning have been essential to their continued success.
Published May 20, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Cynthia Tweedell, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Ohio Christian University
While the majority of their students are online, it’s not so easy to take the same methodologies to deliver on mission when quickly switching their residential students to an online environment when expectations are different. Cynthia Tweedell, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Ohio Christian University talks about how this faith-based institution with a personal touch is working through the transition for students, athletes, and summer programs.
Published April 9, 2020.
SCUP Blog Post
Sadie Wutka, Director of Content Strategy, SCUP
Interview with Dr. Joel Domingo, Associate Professor and Chair, Research Institute, City University of Seattle (formerly Academic Program Director/Associate Professor of the online Ed.D. in Leadership Program).
Added to this page April 6, 2020.
Example Plans
Daniel Stanford, Director of Faculty Development and Technology Innovation, DePaul University’s Center for Teaching and Learning
A growing collection of links to teaching continuity resources posted on US institution websites. The list was initially established based on contributions from members of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education listserv with many additional submissions from other networks.
Regular updates. Added to this page March 26, 2020.
ITHAKA-S+R
Regular updates. Added to this page March 25, 2020.
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment
The NILOA team invites the community to suggest new resources for this doc. NILOA will also be hosting short weekly webinars on bite-sized chunks of information throughout this transition, for faculty who are migrating their courses in real time.
Regular updates. Added to this page March 24, 2020.
EDUCAUSE
Well-planned online learning experiences are meaningfully different from courses offered online in response to a crisis or disaster. Colleges and universities working to maintain instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic should understand those differences when evaluating this emergency remote teaching.
Published March 27, 2020.
Gray Associates—Demand Trends Blog
“If you are new to online teaching, this may seem terribly daunting. Having incorporated a variety of technologies into my teaching over the years, I am glad to share a few perspectives and tips. I will guide you through the process of transitioning your course online and provide steps for staying sane. I hope this information helps make your transition online a bit more manageable.”
Published March 22, 2020.
Association of College and University Educators
Added to this page April 6, 2020.
Southern New Hampshire University
Free learning resources topics such as effective online teaching, best practices for those testing for COVID-19 (in partnership with Guild Education & Penn Foster), and ways frontline workers can support their wellness—both at work and at home.
Added to this page April 8, 2020.
University Business
Regular updates. Added to this page March 24, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording (members only)
Melody Bianchetto, Vice President for Finance, University of Virginia | Larry Goldstein, President, Campus Strategies LLC
The pandemic changed the higher ed landscape, and as we look ahead, this discussion will help you think through enrollment challenges, discuss tuition increases, examine current perceptions of the value of an online education, and consider financial aid for fall 2020.
Recorded June 24, 2020.
NACUBO
Chapter 13 of College and University Budgeting, 5th Edition by Larry Goldstein, discusses the difficult decisions that arise when an institution faces severe economic challenges—whether driven by broad-based economic catastrophes, natural disasters, or simply poor management—and offers both short- and long-term responses to difficult financial times.
Added to this page June 1, 2020.
Kaufman Hall
News and insight on COVID-19 and its effect on colleges and universities. Kaufman Hall provides management consulting services, enterprise performance management software, and benchmark data and analytics that help clients to sustain success in a changing environment.
Regular updates. Added to this page April 14, 2020.
Art & Science Group
“This special edition of studentPOLL provides a snapshot of prospective students’ current thinking about their college plans as of March 17–20, recognizing that their thinking is likely to continue to evolve over the next few months given the fluidity of what we are facing.”
Published end of March, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Nick Santilli, Senior Director for Learning Strategy, SCUP | Larry Squarini, Vice President of Product Development, SPOL | Tony Adam, Senior Training Consultant, SPOL
This is the first in a series of complimentary, interactive webinars, “Planning in Times of Crisis and Beyond: Reviving Your Strategic Planning Process,” hosted by SCUP in partnership with SPOL focusing on planning for the new normal and beyond.
In this episode, our experts discuss how institutions are living through the pivot and how scenario planning can fuel recovery.
Recorded June 17, 2020.
OpenSmart.EDU
“The COVID-19 Planning Guide and Self-Assessment for Higher Education is designed to be a practical planning tool to help institutions in two ways. First, the guide poses four central questions to determine if your institution is prepared to reopen for each of the major COVID-19 Phases. Second, the guide is organized into leadership, cross-functional, and functional workgroups to support comprehensive planning efforts across various institutional groups. The guide also contains links to guidelines, resources, and media reports to further supplement institutional planning.”
Updated June 12, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
James Downey, Vice President for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary | Nicholas Santilli, Senior Director of Learning Strategy, SCUP, and Former Provost, John Carroll University
Higher education has become accustomed to a volatile environment. Volatile environments create significant degrees of ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty. How do institutions navigate through this volatile environment? Scenario planning.
Scenario planning generates multiple well-crafted contradictory narratives about the future to anticipate possible outcomes of environmental forces with the potential to impact an institution. It is important to note that scenario planning does not seek to predict an uncertain future. Instead, engaging in scenario planning provides an institution with the capacity to plan for potential outcomes that may interrupt institutional progress.
Recorded May 29, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Jim Downey, Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary | Chris McCord, Acting Executive Vice President and Provost, Northern Illinois University
Jim Downey, VP for planning and institutional effectiveness at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and Chris McCord, acting executive VP and provost, Northern Illinois University, moderated this Coffee Chat on Scenario Planning.
Recorded April 24, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Nick Santilli, SCUP | Larry Squarini, SPOL | Tony Adam, SPOL
This is the fourth in a series of complimentary, interactive webinars, “Planning in Times of Crisis and Beyond: Reviving Your Strategic Planning Process,” hosted by SCUP in partnership with SPOL focusing on planning for the new normal and beyond.
In this episode, you’ll hear real-world examples from our panelists and guest Karla Moore, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness at Daytona State College, a SPOL/SCUP partner institution.
Recorded August 5, 2020.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
David P. Haney
The current pandemic presents an opportunity to pivot from planning for an unknown future to designing solutions for our “wicked” problems. Results-based strategic design offers tools for an alternative planning process that addresses constraints, constituent needs, experimental solutions, behavior change, and the energy of early adopters.
Added to this page July 14, 2020.
SCUP Webinar Recording
Nick Santilli, Senior Director for Learning Strategy, SCUP | Larry Squarini, Vice President of Product Development, SPOL | Tony Adam, Senior Training Consultant, SPOL
This is the second in a series of complimentary, interactive webinars, “Planning in Times of Crisis and Beyond: Reviving Your Strategic Planning Process,” hosted by SCUP in partnership with SPOL focusing on planning for the new normal and beyond.
Our panel of experts discusses how to plan through the pandemic by using this as an opportunity to reevaluate and reset priorities.
Recorded July 1, 2020.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
Tammi Cooper, Dean, Northcentral University School of Business | Abigail G. Scheg, Associate Dean, Northcentral University School of Business
Added to this page March 30, 2020.
SCUP Journal Article (members only)
Robert Brodnick, Sierra Learning Solutions | Stan Gryskiewicz, Association for Managers of Innovation
Added to this page March 26, 2020.
