Learning Resources

Abstract: Office space makes up about a third of all non-residential space on campuses. Post-COVID, many institutional offices struggle with providing enough office space while simultaneously creating a sense of workplace vibrancy due to the rise in remote and hybrid employees. Promoting change in higher education is tough—is it possible to fulfill the needs of all institutional offices through one style of workplace or is it necessary to consider unique needs of offices and individual employees? Join us to explore two institutional workplace case studies and apply the lessons learned on your campus.

Abstract: Times of rapid change can interrupt operations and implementation efforts. Preventing this requires an ability to quickly adapt our programs and offerings to the changing landscape. Unfortunately, operational complexity and the disorienting nature of uncertainty become a hurdle to rapid response. Either we get overwhelmed trying to identify all that needs to change, or we respond haphazardly, missing crucial details.

Contingency planning can help. It is a method for preparing for potential changes that identifies how operations and action plans need to shift in response. It can also be used to respond to changes after they happen.

The Campus Contingency Planner is a template for lightweight, rapid contingency planning. It guides you through a process that identifies the impacts of change, how decisions during contingency planning will be made, and the operational components of programs and offerings that will need to be adapted in response.

Whether you manage student-facing programs (like academic programs or student affairs activities), or direct services that are internally supportive (like space management or IT), the Campus Contingency Planner can help you respond to change with flexibility, minimizing disruption and moving your institution forward.

Abstract: Flexible classroom space is at a premium, making it necessary to link design with utilization to facilitate projected academic program growth. Including faculty in classroom planning and design processes is a vital part of supporting pedagogical innovation in campus learning spaces. This session will highlight recent strategic planning efforts with faculty and staff at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) focused on Central Pool classrooms and support for teaching and learning. We'll share ideas about how to facilitate collaboration between faculty, staff, and experts in the industry to maintain and advance flexible classrooms that support pedagogy and program development.

Abstract: Traditional, siloed faculty offices are no longer the best option for serving student and staff needs. Open-concept faculty neighborhoods benefit staff by creating a collaborative working environment, and they benefit students by providing space for them to speak openly with professors. This session will demonstrate how innovative faculty neighborhoods increase collaboration and dialogue, supporting the working and learning experience for faculty, students, and the whole institution. We'll demonstrate how you can get the most out of your campus working environments by implementing creative layouts that are designed to boost collaboration and connection while retaining space for personal reflection and rejuvenation.

Abstract: This session will illustrate how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Intelligence (HI) combine to create Collaborative Intelligence (CI), which will transform and disrupt every process and practice it touches. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is building on its track record of preparing students for the future by leveraging CI and a clean sheet design approach to create a revolutionary new instructional model. To harness the power of CI, institutions must reinvent their approach for crafting and executing strategy to create a sense of urgency for change, engage many participants, provide transformation tools, and change culture.

Abstract: Alvernia University can provide inspiration for planners who must undertake the difficult task of transforming their institution in turbulent times. In four years, Alvernia University has raised $25 million in external support, garnered a $400 thousand grant, and raised enrollment by more than six percent. This session will detail Alvernia University’s transformation strategy, which has radically changed how the university educates students and supports regional economic development. The Alvernia approach offers a proven model that institutions can adapt for their own transformation efforts, cutting plan development and implementation time.

Abstract: Since the average presidential tenure is now fewer than six years, campuses need to design and implement circumspect planning which will prove stable even in the event of leadership changes. Using examples from eight institutions across the U.S., this session explores the challenges to campus strategic planning when new leadership arrives. Campus constituencies will be able to weather the uncertainties of a presidential transition through a detailed understanding of commonly experienced impacts on campus planning.

Abstract: Academic office spaces have historically followed established norms. These patterns are changing to maximize and condense real estate, minimize operating costs, and adjust to remote and hybrid work. This session will examine fundamentals of faculty and administrative offices and review student adjacencies, hot-desking and co-sharing space trends, and the future of hybrid work environments. We'll spotlight three unique academic office solutions that cover both new construction and existing renovation construction types. Join us to benefit from lessons learned, identifying potential pitfalls and new opportunities.

Abstract: The Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) classroom allows students to choose between in-person and online participation, leveraging technology and ensuring digital equity. This article underscores the HyFlex model’s role in enhancing educational accessibility, engagement, and resilience; expanding institutional reach; and adapting to demographic shifts and technological advancements. By embracing “Agile” project management principles and a continuous improvement mindset, institutions can create effective, inclusive learning environments that cater to a wide range of student needs, improving learning outcomes and institutional competitiveness in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.

Abstract: Brian Rosenberg, the author of “Whatever It Is, I’m Against It”: Resistance to Change in Higher Education, argues that improvements in higher education are needed—which is certainly not a controversial or surprising outlook. However, he also says many institutions are on an unsustainable financial path, which makes the imperatives for change more urgent. What exactly needs to be addressed and how dramatically, though, is a matter of one’s perspective. The reviewer observes that in most cases, sustainable changes have been ongoing but incremental, not transformational. Some stakeholders might celebrate that fact. In other corners, this is not enough, and so frustrations abound.