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Blog Post

Published
August 4, 2025

The Campus Planner in a Time of Turmoil

Your Role Is as Adviser, Not the Ultimate Decision-Maker

A founding member of SCUP shares some of his experiences and thoughts on how to deal with the challenges and turmoil facing higher education.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
July 17, 2025

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Co-Locate and Consolidate to Create Connected Campuses

Grow in Place Rather Than Add More Space Where Students Will Succeed

You can share spaces, support services, staffing, and technology systems within your institution and with external partners. This reduces costs while improving outcomes such as retention, graduation, and career placement rates.

From Volume 53 Number 3 | April–June 2025

Abstract: Colleges and universities have a traditional way to meet new needs. When there is a new research initiative, degree program, or student support function, institutions add space. Despite good intentions, their siloed structures, poor strategic planning, and history of continuous expansion mean that institutions adapt by adding. The result: Campuses are overbuilt and underutilized. Instead of shared spaces and seamless, supportive experiences, we’re left with sprawling campuses and spiraling costs. With enrollments, research funding, and our climate all changing, it’s time for a new model and a new mantra: Grow in place rather than add more space.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
December 23, 2022

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You Belong Here

Plan for and Design Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Campus Spaces

Many marginalized student populations don’t see themselves as higher education material. Creating places on campus that reaffirm to them that they belong is vital.

From Volume 51 Number 1 | October–December 2022

Abstract: When carefully considered and thoughtfully planned, physical campus space has the power to reinforce an institution’s values around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

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Conference Presentations

Published
October 26, 2021

Transform Your Building Through Inclusive, Intentional Design

We'll take you through our process of transforming an iconic campus building that relates to today's students through environmental messaging while also celebrating the institution, its community, and its history.
Abstract: We have a responsibility to make our campus buildings as welcoming and inclusive as possible. This session will share how Purdue University transformed its campus from a transactional place to an inviting, welcoming, and inclusive one. Intentionality plays an important role in a building's redesign; planners must focus on both the building's original intent and how to use its assets to fulfill modern needs. We'll take you through our process of transforming an iconic campus building that relates to today's students through environmental messaging while also celebrating the institution, its community, and its history.

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Conference Recordings

Published
April 30, 2021

2021 Pacific Regional Conference | April–June 2021

Mindful Redesign for New and Effective Learning Environments

Join us to discuss what our campuses are planning for the immediate and distant future of teaching and learning.
Abstract: This session will focus on how changes in academic planning—accelerated in large part due to COVID-19—are resulting in new physical and virtual frameworks for learning. These range from enhanced online platforms to flexible hybrid environments, including the reappropriation and redesign of ‘found spaces,’ such as valuable and underutilized exterior zones on our existing campuses. Join us to discuss what our campuses are planning for the immediate and distant future of teaching and learning.

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Report

Published
November 23, 2020

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The Connected Campus

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

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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Conference Recordings

Published
October 20, 2020

2020 North Central Regional Conference | October 2020

Keynote: Amidst Converging Storms | Part Two

Planning and Strategy for Long-term Recovery and Resiliency

In the second of two keynotes focusing on higher education’s “perfect storm”—the confluence of a global pandemic, financial crisis, shifting demographics, and a changing culture—a cross-disciplinary panel will discuss their integrated planning strategies for moving from a state of triage to transformation.
Abstract: In the second of two keynotes focusing on higher education’s “perfect storm”—the confluence of a global pandemic, financial crisis, shifting demographics, and a changing culture—a cross-disciplinary panel will discuss their integrated planning strategies for moving from a state of triage to transformation. Integrated planning is the foundation upon which we confront higher education’s current turbulent landscape and make the changes necessary for bringing about the “new normal.” Come learn new planning methods and tools for creating future scenario models, achieving operational flexibility and long-term resiliency, and communicating the value of integrated planning at your institution.

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Conference Recordings

Published
October 19, 2020

2020 North Central Regional Conference | October 2020

The Planning Continuum

How Campus Plans Inform Purposeful Decision Making

We’ll discuss how Purdue University’s culture of continuous planning leverages data, facility information, and design to engage new stakeholders, implement a campus-wide vision, and fast-track decision making.
Abstract: Academic life is closely tied to space and conversations about space reveal much about our priorities and personalities. Having a plan can help facilitate these conversations around a shared vision. We’ll discuss how Purdue University’s culture of continuous planning leverages data, facility information, and design to engage new stakeholders, implement a campus-wide vision, and fast-track decision making. The world of planning is changing, so come learn how creating the right scope to achieve the desired outcomes and inform decision making is critical for establishing a planning continuum on your campus.

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Conference Recordings

Published
July 23, 2020

2020 Annual Conference | July 2020

Education, Opportunity, and Justice in a Post-COVID World

No institution has escaped worrying about the wellbeing of staff, students, faculty and alumni; no school has gone untouched by the economic fallout of going online or staying in place; all anticipate new costs whether instruction is online or hybrid.
Abstract: Leaders across higher education have had to confront the collision of three pandemics—health, economic, and racial. No institution has escaped worrying about the wellbeing of staff, students, faculty and alumni; no school has gone untouched by the economic fallout of going online or staying in place; all anticipate new costs whether instruction is online or hybrid. Most know they have an obligation to address racism and inequality. Where does diversity, equity, and inclusion fit in this world? Should it fit?

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Conference Presentations

Published
October 28, 2019

2019 North Central Regional Conference | October 2019

How to Craft a Living, Data-Driven Facilities Master Plan

In this session, you will learn how the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor’s College of Engineering created this responsive master plan that acts more as an interactive set of tools than a static document.
Abstract: If a facilities master plan cannot keep up with rapid change, it becomes just another big book on the shelf. The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor’s (UM) College of Engineering did away with a static master plan in favor of a one that is data-driven and reflects the latest trends in engineering education. In this session, you will learn how UM created this responsive master plan that acts more as an interactive set of tools than a static document.

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