Learning Resources

Use Evidence to Plan Facilities That Drive Student Success

By: Elliot Felix

In this article, the author draws upon research from his book How to Get the Most Out of College to highlight the evidence that campus planners and designers can use to help drive student success.

Abstract: Colleges and universities are in the midst of a transition from an access mindset to a success mindset, and campus facilities can play a role in this shift. Institutions don’t have to guess at how—a large body of research can and should inform how we plan, design, and operate our campuses. In this article, the author draws upon research from his book How to Get the Most Out of College to highlight the evidence that campus planners and designers can use to help drive student success.

Institutions Mentioned: University of Rochester, Arizona State University-Tempe
Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Facilities Design, Facilities Planning, Learning Commons, Learning Environments, Student Experience, Student Housing, Student Retention, Student Support Services

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Campus Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse

Leverage These Tools to Achieve Your Planning and Sustainability Goals

By: Meaghan Finney, MS, and Michael Patrick, M.Arch, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

By integrating historic buildings into your campus planning, their continued reuse can help solve some of the specific challenges facing university planners today.

From Volume 50 Number 4 | July–September 2022

Abstract: Historic campus buildings are often perceived as a burden, but by integrating them into your campus planning, their continued reuse can help solve some of the specific challenges facing university planners today, specifically in the context of sustainability. There are numerous case studies that demonstrate the successful adaptive reuse of varied campus buildings as well as an undeniable body of evidence showing the benefits of such an approach in working toward carbon neutrality. As long-term stewards of their built environments, colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to realize enduring savings from investing in the energy performance of existing buildings.

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Conference Recordings

Published
July 15, 2021

2021 Annual Conference | July 2021

Leveraging On-Campus Childcare as Part of the ‘New Normal’

By: Mohammed Abdelaal, University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Kristin Gruber-Gunert, Boston University | Kelly Jamison, University of Florida | Michael Lindstrom, studioMLA Architects | Walt Meissner, Boston University

This session will focus on leveraging on-campus childcare, an overlooked but integral piece of a successful integrated strategy for returning to a robust in-person campus experience.

Abstract: On-campus childcare will be crucial not only in allowing faculty and staff to return to campus post-COVID but also in recruiting and retaining the next generation of campus leaders. This session will focus on leveraging on-campus childcare, an overlooked but integral piece of a successful integrated strategy for returning to a robust in-person campus experience. Join our subject matter experts to find out how you can lead and participate in strategic planning around this critical work/life issue at your institution.

Institutions Mentioned: Boston University, University of Florida, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Facilities Planning, SCUP 2021 Annual Conference

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Building Reuse Is Climate Action

By: Lori Ferriss, AIA, PE, LEED AP BD+C

Read about two renovations that substantially reduced emissions while preserving campus character.

Abstract: Existing buildings are a tremendous untapped resource in climate action—reusing an existing building offers substantial carbon savings in the critical near term, which is the timeframe that matters as we look to stay within the Paris Agreement’s critical carbon budget. Read about two renovations that substantially reduced emissions while preserving campus character.

Institutions Mentioned: Boston University, Mount Holyoke College
Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Adaptive Reuse, Facilities Planning, Other Facility, Student Housing, Sustainability (Environmental)

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Conference Recordings

Published
March 18, 2021

2021 North Atlantic Regional Conference | March 2021

Drilling Through the Carbon Barrier

By: Dennis Carlberg, Boston University | Robert Koester, Ball State University | Mike Walters, MEP Associates, a Salas O’Brien Company | Joshua Michaud, BR+A Consulting Engineers

As a model for other institutions, we'll contextualize and detail two of the largest and deepest ground-source heat pump-chiller systems used to unlock campus-wide carbon neutrality—at Boston University and Ball State University.

Abstract: Many institutions face scale-related challenges in pursuing carbon neutrality. This session will explore how the unique settings of both Boston University and Ball State University drove the success of their ground-source solutions. As a model for other institutions, we'll contextualize and detail two of the largest and deepest ground-source heat pump-chiller systems used to unlock campus-wide carbon neutrality. Come learn about the tangible strategies and outcomes from leading-edge campus decarbonization and find a path forward for carbon neutrality on your campus.

Institutions Mentioned: Ball State University, Boston University
Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Carbon Neutral, Energy Infrastructure, Facilities Planning, SCUP 2021 North Atlantic Regional Conference, Sustainability (Environmental)

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The Connected Campus

Building Long-Term Value and Agility by Connecting Offerings, Organizations and Operations

By: Elliot Felix, MArch

Campus environments play a vital role in student success. By making changes to their combination of spaces, institutions can respond to the shifts transforming higher education. Elliot Felix shares how colleges and universities can prepare for a more blended world by bringing together the digital and physical, enabling greater diversity and inclusion, and implementing flexible structures, staffing, space, and services. Sponsored Content: Knoll and brightspot strategy.

Abstract: Historic separations that defined higher education are dissolving: research is more interdisciplinary, online and on-campus learning are converging, wet and dry labs are blending, teaching and research overlap, and academia forges relationships with corporate partners. Institutions, by improving how they connect what they offer, how they are organized, and how they operate, can build value and agility to better assist their people on campus. Real-world examples in this white paper from Knoll and brightspot strategy discuss how campus spaces support student success, including how to fully use the campus; creating spaces that sustain diverse and flexible ways of working; thinking phygitally; and creating environments where today’s purpose-driven and entrepreneurial students (Gen Z) will thrive as they prepare to enter the workforce.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Technology

By: Host: Debi McDonald, Co-Chair, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable | Moderator: Parke Rhoads, Education Technology Expert, Vantage Technology (BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable committee) | Panelists: Gary David, Professor of Information Design & Corporate Communication, Bentley University; Linda Jerrett, Director of Learning & Event Technology Services, Boston University

Panelists Gary David, Bentley University, and Linda Jerrett, Boston University, shared how educational technology on their campuses is adapting to the pandemic—from accommodating students and faculty now to plans for fall and beyond.

This is part of the series “Less Talk, More Action: Tactical Topics to Return to Campus.”

Abstract: 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’.

Institutions Mentioned: Bentley University, Boston University
Planning Types: Information Technology Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Information Technology, Learning Technology, Online Learning, Response Planning, Technology, Technology Infrastructure

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How Our Community Responded to Hurricane Katrina

By: Scott S. Owen

Higher education associations gave us invaluable guidance in serving students displaced by the hurricane.

From Volume 34 Number 4 | July–September 2006

Institutions Mentioned: Tulane University

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Improving Assessment of Space Utilization in a Transdisciplinary Research Environment

By: Ben Huey,JoAnne Valdenegro

The valuable transformation of discrete scientific research so that it is more frequently interdisciplinary “challenges traditional approaches to space management.” The Fulton School of Engineering at Arizona State University is trying to directly link what is actually happening in joint spaces, which may not always parallel the users’ faculty affiliations.

From Volume 34 Number 4 | July–September 2006

Abstract: This article describes a method for attributing research expenditures directly to assigned space that avoids the difficulties with traditional approaches that have arisen from the growth of interdisciplinary research activities where the attribution of research to the faculty member or unit is not strongly correlated with the location where the research is performed. The emergence and growth of new transdisciplinary research activities that not only connect research from traditional disciplines but also form the unifying theme around which a whole new area may form depends in part on reducing traditional barriers to space allocation and encouraging the creative efforts of everyone contributing to meet research space needs. Projects may be distributed across several rooms, some of which are shared with other projects. We seek to attribute credit for such efforts using approximations from existing data to avoid exacerbating an already onerous data collection challenge. The pilot version and a second iteration of the project have been completed with worthwhile results. A new analysis is currently underway with further improved data collection, an enhanced database, and a more systematic process.

Institutions Mentioned: Arizona State University-Tempe

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Cornell’s Commitment to Housing for Freshmen

By: Charles E. Dagit

Cornell's blending of a physical master plan and a social master plan brought about the decision that a modern, cohesive freshmen housing complex would be located on its North Campus.

From Volume 32 Number 1 | September–November 2003

Abstract: This article explains the various steps taken by Cornell University to create a Freshmen Campus on their North Campus. It first explores the reasoning about the decision to create a Freshmen Campus and then explains the process whereby the plan was developed. It compares the developed new physical plan to other campuses as well. Within the article are planning guidelines for designing new freshmen residence halls and dining facilities.

Institutions Mentioned: Cornell University, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Duke University, University of Virginia-Main Campus, Tulane University, Barnard College, Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University
Planning Types: Campus Planning

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