Learning Resources

Abstract: This article examines the leadership decisions and processes implemented by the Memphis College of Art (MCA), following the 2017 decision to close due to financial debt and declining enrollment. Rather than ceasing operations immediately, MCA leaders executed a three-year teach-out plan while liquidating assets, repaying debts, and laying off employees, all while ensuring a legally compliant dissolution. As many colleges face longevity pressures, this case offers a rare look at how closure can be managed transparently, strategically, and with commitment to student success through an integrated planning approach that aligns academic, financial, and facilities decisions during the institution’s final years.

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: As security remains of paramount concern for campus communities, how should institutions thoughtfully engage the urban fabric? Urban campuses are constrained by their verticality and publicly-permeable urban edges. This session will delve into a 2023 SCUP Fellows report with additional updated analysis of campus responses and overreach to protests this past year. In-depth analysis of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles through a lens of student development theory will provide you with insight into student wellbeing and sense of security through campus design.

Abstract: This session will share lessons learned from United Tribes Technical College's (UTTC) master plan that serves as a living document and adapts to changing needs. We'll explore how this culture-infused master plan applied an integrated approach to campus development over five years, addressing five primary needs with a focus on culture, regenerative design, and phasing to support strategic alignment. Join us to discover how you can implement campuswide resiliency strategies to safeguard the campus environment and gain insights into the phased implementation approach for ensuring the plan's success and sustainability over time.

Abstract: In 2020, California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly), Humboldt’s transformation to the system’s third polytechnic required a new intersectional approach to campus physical planning that addresses a spectrum of needs for ambitious growth, future ready resilience, and student persistence. Rapid disruptions affected academic access, achievement, and workforce readiness of Generation Z. The polytechnic implementation inspired a planning process that prioritizes people first to address social, environmental, health, and economic challenges. This session will share lessons learned from the Cal Poly Humboldt physical planning process and provide tactical tools for effective stakeholder engagement, data collection, and establishing metrics of gauging success.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Security is personal. It's not a one size fits all solution. Understand the resources available and explore a roadmap to planning security guidelines and a security operations center for your campus. This session provides a framework you can use to develop, implement, and evaluate a security plan. We'll also discuss the role a security operations center plays in campus security and how you can ensure your campus's physical security infrastructure is adequate.

Abstract: FLEXSpace—The Flexible Learning Environments eXchange—and the Learning Space Rating System (LSRS) are tools that can help you plan, design, assess, and improve learning spaces on your campus. In this session, you will learn about the newly released FLEXspace 2.0 along with the LSRS. We'll cover the features and benefits of both tools and how they can be incorporated into the planning process. Come learn how to use these tools to inform designs and support end users from planning through post occupancy.

Abstract: On-campus living has been linked to student success and is a key factor in admissions decisions. As campuses look to expand and improve their housing inventories in a challenging fiscal environment, there are more options than ever available. One institution will share its recent experiences with several of these options. The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell has more than doubled its on-campus housing inventory in the past five years using a combination of P3, real estate acquisitions, and conventional construction. This session will compare the relative benefits and particular challenges in utilizing these types of housing delivery methods. Come learn from campus facilities planning and student affairs officials, who will address the pros and cons of different delivery methods (P3, purchase/renovation, and conventional construction) from the perspective of up-front costs, operating and maintenance factors, student experience, and functionality.