Learning Resources

Abstract: To gain a broader understanding of how educational equity is linked to campus design, architects and planners must critically examine community engagement practices. Using critical race theory (CRT) as a framework has exposed racial exclusion and colorblind practices in traditional planning processes. While outreach strategies have received greater scrutiny, less examined are the questions that direct those activities. If the prevailing understanding of a design problem is informed by colorblind inquiry, then design solutions hold little promise to improve social impact on communities most affected by educational inequity. Socio-spatial inquiry offers an equity approach to inclusive outreach and authentic engagement.

Abstract: Athletic buildings suffer from a long-held image problem. Fieldhouses, hockey and basketball arenas, and other large indoor competition and practice facilities traditionally lag other campus spaces in energy performance and sustainability. However, because of the size, scale, and location of athletic buildings, there is significant untapped potential as campus planners seek creative ways to implement change initiatives. The authors share lessons learned from their recent experiences applying imaginative, cost-efficient approaches to sports and recreation buildings. In addition to reimagining how the facilities can contribute to the greater good of the entire campus, they demonstrate the value of early cross-discipline collaboration and problem-solving to fulfill shared aspirations.

Abstract: Campus space planning generally involves the use of linear models that apply a simple square-foot-per-person calculation to determine capacities for different room sizes. Most return-to-campus strategies following the easing of COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions involve modification of these models, increasing square-footage-per-person to accommodate six feet of distancing. This provides reasonable upper and lower capacity estimates, but it does not yield accurate estimates across different room sizes and room types. Columbia College Chicago has developed a non-linear model that is both scalable and accurate, resulting in estimates that match test fits across all observed spaces.

Abstract: In context of COVID-19, institutions are developing new approaches to online learning at an unprecedented pace. Looking ahead, this great experiment may offer lessons for broadening the definition of accessibility. Three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act established minimum accessibility standards for the built environment, this moment of accelerated change presents a unique opportunity to utilize hybrid delivery models and universal design principles to rethink accessibility. Sasaki principal Greg Havens examines how continued emphasis on improvements to the physical environment, when combined with hybrid learning and services, could transform the way we plan the human-centered, accessible campuses of tomorrow.

Abstract: As mid-20th-century buildings reach the end of their service life, academic institutions are confronted by the challenge of renovating them while they remain partially occupied. When appropriate swing space is unavailable, or when there is no potential for vacating a building completely to allow renovation to occur more efficiently, a phased approach becomes necessary. The consequences of committing to phased renovation, however, are not only logistical, but also financial, programmatic, and technical. Through analysis of phased renovation projects across multiple building types, one can extract best practices for planning, design, and construction to mitigate many of the most common challenges.

Abstract: While small-scale active learning classrooms are common on campuses, large-scale active learning environments are just being explored. This University of Illinois at Chicago study explores the research, planning, and communication that was required to develop large-scale active learning environments that incorporated innovative teaching, immersive education, and cutting-edge technology to contribute to student success.

Abstract: When St. Cloud State University found itself with too much aging infrastructure but not enough right-sized spaces or enough funding or rationale for new facilities, their comprehensive facilities planners took a deep dive into data. They used a highly inclusive process to create a CFP that guided strategic decisions and shifted institutional culture.

Abstract: Managing a facility inventory can be frustrating, particularly when it seems like money to properly maintain your buildings is scarce. Tracking and communicating facilities data to stakeholders can make all the difference for both annual maintenance and capital expenditures. For Alamo Colleges, it resulted in $17 million more for maintenance funding over 10 years, and the passing of a $450 million-bond program. This article explains how to conduct a comprehensive facility condition assessment, use the data from that assessment to identify needs, and then communicate those needs to stakeholders in a convincing way.

Abstract: Enrollment management is a term used in higher education to describe a wide range of issues, including recruitment, admissions, financial aid, student success, and more. To be successful, institutions must break with past practices and reconstitute organizational structures that are expandable. Using Kotter’s change management model as a guide, California State University Los Angeles LA’s addressed maximizing classroom capacity to meet enrollment demand following quarter to semester conversion and significant enrollment increases.

Abstract: Over their 150-year history, land-grant universities have played a tremendous and vital role in the development of the United States and the education of its people. Most of these institutions were established as the result of the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. How has this mission, drafted in a much different time, held up over the years? As we move toward the third decade of the twenty-first century, many universities are evolving to better embrace changing student demographics; build industry partnerships; and reframe campus legacies to ensure that the land-grant mission still supports the needs of our times.