Learning Resources

What Is Your Crisis ‘What If’?

Create a Sustainable Approach to Emergency Response Planning

By: Jessica A. Luedtke, PhD, and Mary M. Reinke, MBA, MS

The Medical College of Wisconsin planned strategically, engaged executive leadership, and operationalized an Administrative Response Team to navigate critical incidents impacting the university.

From Volume 51 Number 3 | April–June 2023

Institutions Mentioned: Medical College of Wisconsin
Planning Types: Continuity Planning
Tags: Building (or Writing) the Plan, Communication, Crisis and Disaster Management, External Collaboration / Partnerships, Leadership, Medical / Allied Health Education, Modifying the Plan, Recovery Planning, Response Planning, Risk Management, Scenario Planning, Security

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Quickly Building a Bridge

Use an Institutional Effectiveness Planning Model to Drive Strategic Planning

By: Jason Nicholas, MS, Daniel Cullen, PhD, and Ellen Koski, MPH

Executive leadership changes at Northern Michigan University led the interim president, interim provost, and Board of Trustees to call for a bridge plan to clearly articulate strategic work happening throughout campus. This article describes how the university was able to develop an interim strategic plan with broad campus engagement in less than half a year.

From Volume 51 Number 3 | April–June 2023

Institutions Mentioned: Northern Michigan University
Planning Types: Strategic Planning, Institutional Effectiveness Planning
Tags: Alignment, Assessment / Analytics, Bridge Planning, Engaging Stakeholders, Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Planning, Institutional Research, Metrics, Planning Processes, Presidential Leadership, Response Planning, Selecting Metrics, Student Engagement

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Example Plans

Published
May 17, 2023

Bridge Plan

Public Associate’s College (Arizona, United States)

From April 2020, the institution’s president led faculty and staff in a rigorous planning and exploration process to ensure that the college remained accessible and thriving through the pandemic and beyond. This bridge plan document details the action steps resulting from that process.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning
Resource Types: Bridge Plan
Tags: Bridge Planning, Community College, COVID-19, Goals, Hybrid Learning, Leadership Attitude Toward Planning, Online Learning, Operational Planning, Organizational Culture, Response Planning, Scenario Planning, Strategies and Tactics, Student Experience, Teaching and Learning

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Smart Building, Smart Campus

By: Angela Foss, Autodesk (previously of Southern New Hampshire University)

This is a SCUP Fellow Research Project Final Report for the 2019–2020 program. This report explores the hypothesis that user-centered design would better address STEM student needs and could increase the likelihood of a broader adoption of remote labs.

Abstract: “Will innovative environments like a smart building expand STEM education and reach more underrepresented groups? If technology can support remote work, then why haven’t the previous proofs of concept become fully adopted?” The author pursued these questions through her SCUP Fellows research, exploring the hypothesis that user-centered design would better address STEM student needs and could increase the likelihood of a broader adoption of remote labs. Although the COVID-19 pandemic required a hard pivot in her research plan, she was able to leverage the world's new focus on remote activities and work with students to design a prototype mobile application for a digital, interactive twin of a STEM building on campus.

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Conference Recordings

Published
November 5, 2021

Virtual and Physical

How SNHU is Reimagining the Student Experience

Abstract: How can we reimagine the traditional campus-based learning model to make higher education more affordable, flexible, and accessible? For many higher education institutions, the pandemic has exacerbated the challenges they were already facing: the competition for students in a landscape of changing demographics, a drastically altered world of work, and the seemingly uncontrollable escalation of costs. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is redefining the future of higher education by developing new programs and degree pathways, scaling online and virtual learning platforms, reducing tuition to increase accessibility, and investing in their physical campus.

We are thrilled to have you join us for an extraordinary afternoon headlined by the visionary leader of the university, Dr. Paul LeBlanc and key leaders from the SNHU community who are tackling these challenges by radically reinventing places, platforms, and products for teaching and learning.

Institutions Mentioned: Southern New Hampshire University
Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Facilities Design, Facilities Planning, Flexible Learning Spaces, Learning Environments, Learning Technology, Online Learning, SCUP 2021 North Atlantic Symposium | November

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Flexing Beyond the Pandemic

IT as a Change Leader: Driving Institutional Goals Around Retention and Enrollment

By: Amy Linde, MBA, Matthew Clay, BS, and Mark Johnson, BS

The IT division at Minnesota State University, Mankato— working as part of a campus-wide collaborative effort—quickly and successfully installed new tech in more than 100 classrooms within months of COVID-19 first appearing. Outcomes of the large-scale project are seen as a key attractor for incoming students, regardless of where they are learning.

From Volume 49 Number 3 | April–June 2021

Abstract: With the pandemic forcing education online, IT has become integral to keeping campuses moving forward. With a visionary team dedicated to student-centered experiences, the IT division at Minnesota State University, Mankato managed to quickly and successfully install new tech in more than 100 classrooms within months of COVID-19 first appearing. In this period of crisis, their information technology team created a campus-wide collaboration to introduce and integrate new course delivery opportunities. Outcomes of the large-scale project are seen as transformational and a key attractor for incoming students—regardless of where they are learning.

Institutions Mentioned: Minnesota State University-Mankato
Planning Types: Information Technology Planning
Tags: Communication, Implementation, Learning Environments, Learning Technology, Online Learning, Technology Infrastructure

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Blog Post

Published
April 22, 2021

Preparing for the Post-Pandemic World

(or, what to do when VUCA Strikes!)

By: Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD, Senior Director for Learning Strategy, SCUP

Well, that didn’t go as planned. Let’s face it, 2020 was one of the most volatile years in world history. We now find ourselves digging out from the impact of the global pandemic and thinking, “What next?” To be honest, volatility is not new to higher education. In fact, a measure of volatility is commonplace in the higher education environment. Just over a year ago, the sector was obsessively focused on the enrollment cliff, the higher education business model, and free speech. We’ve added to this list a worldwide pandemic, calls for social and racial justice, cancel culture, and waves of natural disasters.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Crisis and Disaster Management, Environmental Scanning, Response Planning, Scenario Planning

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Conference Recordings

Published
March 19, 2021

2021 North Atlantic Regional Conference | March 2021

President’s Panel

Transforming and Reimagining Higher Education for the Future

By: Frances Bronet, Pratt Institute | Kerstin Mey, University of Limerick | Vianne Timmons, Memorial University

In this session, three college and university presidents from the United States, Canada, and Europe will reflect on how we can transform and reimagine higher education for the future.

Abstract: SCUP defines integrated planning as a sustainable approach to planning that builds relationships, aligns the organization, and emphasizes preparedness for change. Over the past several years—and particularly in 2020—the world has experienced significant shifts in its sociocultural, economic, and political landscapes. How can higher education institutions use integrated planning to respond nimbly and flexibly to these changes? In this session, three college and university presidents from the United States, Canada, and Europe will reflect on how we can transform and reimagine higher education for the future.

Institutions Mentioned: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Pratt Institute-Main, University of Limerick
Planning Types: Academic Planning, Campus Planning, Resource Planning, Strategic Planning, Student Affairs Planning
Tags: Adaptable Plans, Alignment, COVID-19, Environmental Scanning, Higher Ed Trends, Response Planning, SCUP 2021 North Atlantic Regional Conference

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Five Ways to Advance Higher Education for Future Viability

Key Insights, Findings, and Questions From the Virtual Pacific Region Fall Series, “COVID + CRUCIBLE: HIGHER EDUCATION FACES FALL 2020”

By: Lilian Asperin, WRNS Studio | Nicholas Santilli, PhD, Society for College and University Planning | Molly Thomas, WRNS Studio

In the fall of 2020, SCUP’s Pacific Region held five sessions over eight weeks to explore the core topics shaping higher education as colleges and universities adapted in response to the pandemic. This publication offers key insights, findings, and questions from this Virtual Pacific Region Fall Series.

Abstract: Higher education within the United States is in the midst of an evolutionary change. But colleges and universities were having their moment of reckoning long before COVID-19 disrupted life and accelerated change. In the fall of 2020, SCUP’s Pacific Region held five sessions over eight weeks to explore the core topics shaping higher education as colleges and universities adapted in response to the pandemic. This publication offers key insights, findings, and questions from this Virtual Pacific Region Fall Series.

Planning Types: Campus Planning, Academic Planning, Information Technology Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Facilities Planning, Learning Environments, Learning Technology, Online Learning, Recovery Planning, Response Planning, SCUP 2020 Pacific Regional Conference, Teaching and Learning

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Conference Recordings

Published
October 20, 2020

2020 North Central Regional Conference | October 2020

Transforming Medical Center Pandemic Responses into Creative Community Partnerships

By: Krisan Osterby, Campus Planning Leader and Principal, DLR Group | Kennard Brown, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer, University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Rebecca Waltman, Senior Space Planner and Analyst, DLR Group | Sherree Wilson, Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Join us to discover how you can apply academic medical center (AMC) pandemic responses for long-term best practices at your institution.

Abstract: Creative emergency response activities and fledgling partnerships within academic medical center (AMC) campuses and communities have broken down institutional, municipal, healthcare, and corporate silos to improve public health and quality of life. The pandemic has revolutionized business-as-usual across higher education and AMCs are equipped to respond to such crises through partnerships. Given strained fiscal resources, an atmosphere of uncertainty, and an outcry for innovation and collaboration, a framework for building partnerships is critical. Join us to discover how you can apply AMC pandemic responses for long-term best practices at your institution.

Institutions Mentioned: The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Washington University in St Louis
Planning Types: Campus Planning, Resource Planning
Tags: COVID-19, External Collaboration / Partnerships, Health and Wellness, Medical / Allied Health Facility, Response Planning, SCUP 2020 North Central Regional Conference

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Planning Types

Challenges