Learning Resources

Abstract: With crowded research facilities, limited resources, and a strong need for innovative interdisciplinary teaching space, many institutions feel stuck. Purdue University College of Science's went from stymied to STEM lab in just four years through data-focused master planning and an accelerated design process. We will share lessons learned from Purdue University's college master plan and STEM building that you can use to clarify thinking, focus need, build a case for a new project, and set the stage for future growth.

Abstract: Interdisciplinary learning thrives on a foundation of cross-departmental strength. Designing facilities that accommodate a variety of teaching modalities and allow different disciplines to share resources can have a positive impact on future learning, teaching, and research. The session examines how North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T) created an interdisciplinary engineering research and innovation facility centered around maker and fabrication spaces. You will learn about our integrated project team approach, how we secured buy-in from stakeholders, and how we translated functional space needs into innovative places.

Abstract: We will explore how The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) campus master plan will guide significant growth in research, enrollment, and partnership opportunities across multiple campuses and industry over the coming decades. UTSA is the largest public institution in the fastest-growing large city in the country. New university leadership is seeking to expand its reach and influence while remaining a community-serving institution with many first-generation students. Come find out what you need to consider when master planning for significant institutional growth and engaging the impacted community.

Abstract: Institutions have determined through surveys and research that building design and location significantly affect first-year student's happiness and academic success. In response, they are implementing significant changes to on-campus housing. Understanding how different housing models influence first-year students allows institutions to provide students with a strong social foundation that can significantly affect recruitment and retention. We will share examples of rapidly changing student expectations and prepare you to assess your student housing offerings and evaluate their relationships to student success.

Abstract: During onboarding, it is critical that we provide a level of service that assesses each student's needs and customizes services to those needs. We will share new ideas to improve the student onboarding process and its impact on the organization, staffing, and use of existing (or new) student services space. Using Northwest Florida State College (NFSC) as a case study, you will learn about current trends in student needs and discuss how these trends drove change in NFSC's workflows, staff, space, furniture, and technology.

Abstract: To achieve a sustainable campus, institutions must integrate sustainable practices across environmental, social, and economic boundaries. It is important that built environments responsibly utilize natural and financial resources as well as meet expectations for student and community wellbeing. Sustainability and green building experts will discuss critical lessons and tools they used to integrate sustainability at the University of Houston, allowing them to manage both long- and short-term decision making. Come learn about our strategic framework that will help your institution stay ahead of the curve on climate resiliency and provide sustainable facilities that allow student and community partnerships to thrive.

Abstract: The quadrangle is a medieval-European legacy adapted by American universities during the nineteenth century. Given technological advances and changes in society, is the nineteenth-century icon changing? Will the American campus look different in the future? With a selected group of students, faculty, alumni, and staff, we discussed the relevance—past, present, and future—of Stanford University’s Main Quadrangle—as a venue for discourse and community engagement. Despite it being a relic, we concluded that the Main Quad continues to be the heart of the Stanford campus community.

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: After a campus tragedy, the first steps for the community toward settling into the new normal often entail working through the gravity of recent events. This work includes a need for internal reflection, external processing, and collective healing. Campus communities engaged in this process often find a way to memorialize the events that have shaken them and to honor the lives of any community members lost to tragedy. This research project focuses on physical memorials that are the result of a tragic moment in institutional history.

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.