Learning Resources

Abstract: Many college campus buildings were built in time of cheap, fossil fuel-based energy, making them now costly to operate and maintain and giving them a high carbon footprint. In this session, we will explore how Binghamton University implemented a façade upgrade and high performance energy systems for deep energy retrofits for its Science IV building. Come learn how you can use smart technologies and modest materials applied in creative ways to update similar building stock at your institution.

Abstract: Wellesley College enabled the revitalization of their largest academic building, the science center, by transforming the way people thought about temporary classrooms—from "breaking bad" to breaking norms. We will demonstrate how advances in modular building delivery are being applied to sophisticated buildings (including BL2 and vivarium) such that users perceive them as an improvement to the current condition. Come learn how to be better a problem-solver and be able to detect flaws-in-thinking before they become flaws-in-doing.

Abstract: The demand for graduates and technicians in the academic fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is influencing the design of specialized educational facilities in community colleges. Community colleges are increasingly aligning their academic programs to the specific economic development priorities and projected demand for skilled labor in the geographic regions they serve. It is expected that partnerships with local industry will increasingly shape curriculum development and facilities design. This trend is rapidly developing in California, where community colleges are incorporating sophisticated simulation laboratories, makerspaces, and innovation centers outfitted with advanced infrastructure and equipment, along with spaces that support the full spectrum of competencies required for graduates to succeed in the STEM labor market.

Abstract: Higher education institutions, across nearly all socio-cultural cross-sections, are more diverse today than ever before. This evolution in campus demographics also coincides with the changing values, priorities, and needs of students. The bottom line for many of today’s students is clear: now more than ever, values matter when selecting a school. This article explores the programmatic and administrative responses as well as the physical planning and design opportunities associated with creating and sustaining more diverse and inclusive campus environments.

Abstract: The study described in this article investigated diversity in a unit within a postsecondary institution using the model described by Cox in Creating the Multicultural Organization by verifying the unit’s view of diversity, examining existing strategies used for diversity, evaluating consistencies, and identifying areas of improvement. The study included an analysis of unit employees to verify broad diversity by race and gender and an interview with senior leadership about the strategic plan for the unit on matters related to diversity. Overall analysis showed that the unit is doing better than most peer institutions in hiring female and minority candidates for positions. However, there are gaps in the unit’s approach to diversity that impact its ability to be an effective multicultural organization.

Abstract: The design-build delivery approach, in which design and construction services are contracted through a single entity, has the potential to help higher education institutions control costs, streamline processes and communications, and more efficiently and effectively meet project objectives. This article examines the relationship between the University of North Georgia and design-build firm Pond, describing the process of design-build and highlighting two projects, the replacement of a dining hall floor and the renovation of a science classroom. The success of these projects demonstrates the benefits of integration and collaboration inherent in the design-build model.

Abstract: Colleges and universities are increasingly planning interdisciplinary, inter-college STEM facilities and need tools to address the special challenges that arise when dealing with a diverse set of users. This article discusses the importance of articulating a STEM vision as a means to prioritize building program components while maintaining project goals. It describes effective strategies for organizing diverse user groups, anticipating potentially challenging group dynamics, in a programming process that yields consensus about common goals and shared resources. It discusses layout strategies that support the mission of the building and an approach to STEM building governance that is independent of a particular college or department. The University of Mississippi is used as a case study.

Abstract: Makerspaces designed for collaborative learning are appearing on campuses throughout the United States, including at Drexel University. These spaces succeed because they permit students to collaborate, observe, and learn from professors and peers. Unique to the Drexel project is the intermingling of engineering undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and commercial interests in one facility with laboratories, machine-shop equipment, and informal study areas. Facilities that give students great visibility into nearby research, contain areas where they can take breaks without leaving the building, and lend themselves to informal encounters with peers, faculty, and others result in better academic experiences for undergraduates.