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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
October 23, 2025

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A New Campus Planning Paradigm Emerges . . .

. . . Addressing Declining Enrollment, Evolving Academic Technology, Online Learning, and Facilities Maintenance Costs

By: Mohammed Abdelaal, PhD, and Robert L. Ryan, PhD, FASLA

By reviewing campus plans and interviewing senior planners and administrators, the authors examined how 11 public universities in the Northeast and Midwest are responding to growing financial, pedagogical, and facilities risks.

From Volume 54 Number 1 | October–December 2025

Abstract: After decades of significant investment in campus development, US universities are now confronted with enormous challenges, including declining enrollment, evolving academic technology, online learning, and rising facilities maintenance costs. The authors of this research examined how 11 public R1 universities in the Northeast and Midwest are addressing these challenges through a review of campus plans and interviews with senior planners and administrators. This study argues that a new campus planning paradigm is gradually emerging in response to these risks, which highlights innovative strategies for place-based institutions to rapidly reexamine their prevailing capital planning priorities with a focus on adaptability and right-sizing campus facilities.

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Webinar Recordings

Published
November 15, 2023

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FLIPP: A Tool to Align Campus Stakeholders for Space Planning

By: Lisa Stephens, University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Senior Strategist for Academic Innovation for SUNY’s Office of the Provost | Aurora Velasco, Instructional Technology Services at San Diego State University

Join us as we discuss how the FLIPP: FLEXspace Integrated Planning Pathway may help serve your needs with academic facilities planning, while building cooperative trust among campus advisors.
Abstract: Shared governance is a long tradition that well serves the academy, even as opportunity cost casts a long shadow over constrained budgets supporting built infrastructure. Over the past decade, two freely available tools: the Learning Space Rating System (LSRS) and the Flexible Learning Environments eXchange (FLEXspace) have successfully combined into an integrated planning pathway to help align the complexities of faculty, designers and AV/IT professional perspectives when considering facilities investment. This planning pathway was built in collaboration with professionals over time from many campuses, including the University at Buffalo and San Diego State University where portions of the process were integrated into a holistic solution to assist with learning environment ideation and planning.

Join us as we discuss how the FLIPP: FLEXspace Integrated Planning Pathway may help serve your needs with academic facilities planning, while building cooperative trust among campus advisors.

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Conference Recordings

Published
March 18, 2021

2021 North Atlantic Regional Conference | March 2021

Setting Building Energy Standards

Learning from City, State, and Utility Incentive Programs

By: Michael Grant, Stantec | Ruth Bennett, Tufts University | Kim Cullinane, Eversource (utility) | John Dalzell, Boston Planning & Development Agency | Jacob Knowles, BR+A Consulting Engineers

Individual cities, states, and utility incentive programs are going beyond carbon neutral standards to embrace energy consumption limits—this session will present these new strategies as models and options for campus building energy standards.
Abstract: It isn't enough that institutions require all-electric campus buildings that rely on renewable energy—they must also be low load and low energy consumption. Individual cities, states, and utility incentive programs are going beyond carbon neutral standards to embrace energy consumption limits. This session will present these new strategies as models and options for campus building energy standards that address a variety of university sustainability goals. Come learn how your institution can avoid re-inventing the wheel when defining truly impactful campus guidelines by using these methodologies to limit energy consumption and peak demand.

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Conference Recordings

Published
March 9, 2021

2021 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference | March 2021

Using Technology to Facilitate a Safe Return to Campus

By: Alex Gentry, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | Thomas Kase, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | Jason Wolfgang, Pennsylvania State University | Mike Weaver, Pennsylvania State University

In order to facilitate a return to campus post-COVID, Penn State leveraged technology and cross-functional teams to successfully plan and implement safe social distancing measures across various rooms types using a decentralized management model.
Abstract: With thirty-three million square feet of space across twenty-three campuses, facility management is a complex process at Pennsylvania State University. In order to facilitate a return to campus post-COVID, Penn State leveraged technology and cross-functional teams to successfully plan and implement safe social distancing measures across various rooms types using a decentralized management model. Come learn from the successes and failures of a state-wide, multi-campus integrated planning and implementation effort to ensure the health and safety of the Penn State community.

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Webinar Recordings

Published
August 6, 2020

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Developing Successful Campus Collaborations and Trust During COVID

By: Host: Debi McDonald, Co-Chair, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable | Moderator: Jack Maguire, Founder and Chair, Maguire Associates | Presenters: Gretchen Von Grossmann, Director of Capital Programs, Tufts University; Sarah Madden, Project and Change Manager, University Administration, Harvard University; Kelly McQueeney, Director Project Support Services, Harvard University Environmental Health and Safety

In this webinar, Gretchen Von Grossmann of Tufts University and Sarah Madden and Kelly McQueeney of Harvard University shared how they have brought their campus communities together to tackle COVID challenges and what protocols and perspectives are becoming “game changers” in the process.

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

Abstract: In the current COVID environment, each day brings our academic institutions more information and insight regarding what their physical campuses can handle and what their returning students and faculty are comfortable with.

Join us as we learn from representatives at Tufts University and Harvard University how they have brought their campus communities together to tackle COVID challenges and what aspects may become “game changers” in the process. We will learn current perspectives and protocols and how these institutions came to these conclusions. The presenters will share how they have prepared for a range of outcomes, offering some valuable examples of effective leadership in this time of crisis.

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Webinar Recordings

Published
June 15, 2020

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Back to School Through the Lens of ASHRAE

By: Hosts: Niusha Arndt, Designer, Perkins + Will, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable; Patrick Murphy, Associate Principal and Director of Sustainable Design, Vanderweil Engineers, BSA/SCUP College + University Roundtable | Moderator: Nancy May, Formerly Vice President, Facility & Operations Management, Northeastern University | Panelists: 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

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.
Abstract: 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.

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Webinar Recordings

Published
June 10, 2020

Coffee Chat: COVID-19 Physical Distancing in Classrooms

By: 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.
Abstract: 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.

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Conference Presentations

Published
March 8, 2020

2020 North Atlantic Regional Conference | March 2020

Roadmap to a Capital Renewal Program

By: Taylan Ekici, Associate Director, Capital Renewal Planning, Tufts University | Margaret Moylan, Planner Project Manager, Tufts University

We will share how Tufts University manages its capital renewal program using a ranking strategy that considers building condition, utilization, modernization needs, and academic priority.
Abstract: Most universities don't have enough funds to address all capital renewal needs. Understanding the condition of physical infrastructure and benchmarking against the institutional mission optimizes limited funds allocated for deferred maintenance. We will share how Tufts University manages its capital renewal program using a ranking strategy that considers building condition, utilization, modernization needs, and academic priority. We will cover how to collect and process data to establish a 10-year capital renewal plan, considering initiatives like sustainability and carbon neutrality.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 14, 2019

2019 Annual Conference | July 2019

Leveraging Software to Improve Academic Programs and Faculty Hiring

By: Patrick McDonald,Molly Wilson

Abstract: Determining where to invest in terms of academic programming and staffing can oftentimes be difficult due to competing interests by academic programs as well as a lack of resources. This session will describe how one university sought to improve academic planning and resource allocation within their academic units, and the software solution they used to do it. We'll discuss the university's example and broader best practices for reviewing metrics in research, finances, benchmarking, and predictive modeling as well as staffing and resource allocation related to academic planning.

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Conference Presentations

Published
March 8, 2019

2019 North Atlantic Regional Conference | March 2019

Expanding Residential Accommodation With Limited New Construction

By: Heidi R. Sokol, Lois Stanley, Gretchen Von Grossmann

Come learn how a 2016 housing planning study that started with an inventory analysis quickly evolved into an ongoing program to add 100+ beds per year beginning in 2017.
Abstract: New dorm construction takes time and funding that often competes with the ongoing need to upgrade existing dorms. Despite limited resources, campus planning and capital programs teams are successfully doing both. Tufts University's first housing program since the 1970s is transforming the undergraduate residential experience two-fold: by rapidly increasing the on-campus bed supply in existing facilities and by renewing residential buildings. Come learn how a 2016 housing planning study that started with an inventory analysis quickly evolved into an ongoing program to add 100+ beds per year beginning in 2017.

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