Learning Resources

Abstract: Mobile is quickly becoming the dominant computing and communications platform. Starting in 2013, it is projected that smartphone shipments will outpace those of PCs. With this shift comes a corresponding shift in expectations from higher education users. We cannot afford to sit back and do nothing. Instead, we need to embrace this critical evolution in technology and harness it to the best advantage of our students, faculty, and institutions. An undertaking of this complexity and criticality requires a deliberate plan, but the plan will need to be highly flexible and able to quickly adjust to this constantly evolving and shifting landscape.

Abstract: The challenges of managing physical space in public higher education are often left unspoken and underresearched. This article is based on a multiple-case study of three urban universities; decision-making processes are examined with particular attention to who has institutional decision-making authority. Effective and efficient space management is important because the use of space on campus can contribute to research and practice by promoting innovation and collaboration, or it can isolate individuals and departments in silos. This study identifies three distinct challenges related to space management on campus: the quality of space, the location of space, and the quantity of space. The research findings accentuate the importance of (1) having a well-defined decision-making process, (2) having knowledgeable decision makers, (3) delegating decision-making authority, and (4) having accurate quantitative and qualitative data to inform decisions.

Abstract: This article covers an approach to the housing master planning process through work performed at The University of Alabama and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The unique outcomes and recommendations derived from each plan will be explained through four facets: (1) existing conditions, including why the time was right for master planning; (2) the strategic vision/mission of each institution; (3) market realities; and (4) final recommendations/next steps. Distinctive recommendations and findings show that housing master plans should not follow a boilerplate template but instead follow the individual institutional mission and direction. Finally, the article shows that although the two housing master plans differ, they both provide value by helping to inform future housing decisions at their respective institutions.

Abstract: A popular response to meeting the diverse spiritual and religious needs of constituents of educational campuses is to provide a multi-faith space. Users of these facilities have a wide range of cultural and aesthetic expectations for worship space. For planners, administrators, and designers, this variety of space needs and expectations can be daunting. Historic examples of multi-faith centers may not serve well as models since they were often designed for just Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths. This article identifies the components necessary in today’s culture to create and evaluate a successful multi-faith space located on a campus of higher education.

Abstract: The University of Utah administration introduced a major initiative to ensure that each student has an opportunity for a transformative educational experience. In response to this challenge, the Department of Geology and Geophysics developed a prototype for a transformative educational environment in the new Frederick Albert Sutton building. This built environment is designed to engage, inspire, and teach, and its accomplishments set a high bar for campus design. The result is a new paradigm for campus planning. This article traces the pioneering Sutton Geology and Geophysics Building as an exemplary model that uses two tangible design elements to support an outreach vision: academic branding and showcasing of the academic discipline. The reactions to the Sutton Building and the documented outcomes are the measure of ultimate success. The second half of the article presents the framework used to create a transformative educational environment, applicable to other campus buildings of any size or academic discipline. A road map of seven steps leads designers and academics to understand the creative vision and presents methods for implementing and repeating successes that change the educational environment through innovative campus design.

Abstract: In an effort to remain relevant and responsive to evolving developments in higher education, academic libraries are transforming existing spaces to meet the current and future needs of their students. By incorporating the specific programmatic elements of a learning commons with a focus on the institution’s unique demographics and goals, collegiate libraries will be better positioned as collaborative and flexible interdisciplinary resources. In this article, Bond Architects describes the process and outcomes of a library planning study conducted with St. Louis Community College’s David L. Underwood Library on the Florissant Valley campus.

Abstract: This article describes a renovation/addition project for Newcomb Hall, the student union facility on the grounds of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, that is nearing completion. Showcasing sustainable preservation practices involved in improving an existing structure, this article highlights cooperative efforts among students, faculty, architects, and contractors to upgrade a 1950s-era building with 21st-century technologies. Newcomb Hall’s interior has expanded with new entrances, increased square footage, and state-of-the-art communication and code-safety components that will continue to serve a host of university activities and related organizations. Theater and dining facilities have also been upgraded. Further, building functions have continued throughout this multifaceted project. Maintaining operations during the renovations resulted in time and cost savings and could provide a model for other colleges and universities pursuing similar projects.

Abstract: This article describes the planning process undertaken at a large, regional comprehensive university to create a space within existing buildings aimed at improving student success in introductory mathematics. It demonstrates the need for integrated planning grounded in academic priorities and student success models.

Abstract: For the last 15 years, the University System of Georgia (USG) has implemented its campus master plan template, which includes traditional space planning methodologies, with the assistance of many different consultants. This experience has caused the system to question the value of traditional approaches in guiding capital allocation resource decisions. Many USG institutions function reasonably well with far less space in some categories than traditional guidelines recommend, calling into question the orthodoxy surrounding space “needs.” Different consultants report wildly differing estimates of needs for institutions with similar missions, enrollments, and program mix. Moreover, these needs far exceed available capital. In response, the system has formulated a new methodology for measuring the utilization of space to guide space management and capital allocation decisions for individual institutions and the system as a whole. The goal was to create a process that is understandable, easy to implement, and less prone to distortion that existing methodologies, whose calculations are often complicated and unclear. The new approach includes an overlay taxonomy that groups spaces with similar functions into buckets to minimize the effects of miscategorizations and to provide the atomic units for new utilization metrics, greatly reducing the overall number of required measurements and providing information reflective of modern space usage. The resulting metrics provide new thinking, particularly for classroom and social spaces.