Learning Resources

Abstract: In the face of unprecedented changes, Middlesex College is tackling pressing issues to stay relevant by conducting community outreach, developing partnerships to address workforce changes, supporting non-traditional students, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We'll share how Middlesex went beyond enrollment metrics and traditional master planning strategies with an innovative plan that involves the county and community in supporting a variety of campus and regional initiatives. Come learn how you can apply innovative approaches at your institution to transform long-term academic and master planning while leading cultural changes?internally and externally?and prepare your campus for a post-pandemic world.

Abstract: Traditional, siloed faculty offices are no longer the best option for serving student and staff needs. Open-concept faculty neighborhoods benefit staff by creating a collaborative working environment, and they benefit students by providing space for them to speak openly with professors. This session will demonstrate how innovative faculty neighborhoods increase collaboration and dialogue, supporting the working and learning experience for faculty, students, and the whole institution. We'll demonstrate how you can get the most out of your campus working environments by implementing creative layouts that are designed to boost collaboration and connection while retaining space for personal reflection and rejuvenation.

Abstract: California recently passed legislation that permits its public entities to leverage Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery methods for capital projects. Other states are following suit, which will upend traditional planning and design processes. This session will outline necessary changes to pre-design planning processes and considerations to set projects up for success under a PDB delivery model. We'll share tools that will help you achieve better outcomes in your planning and design processes, including lessons learned from our own successes and challenges of using PDB as a project delivery method.

Abstract: 2024 has been an incredibly busy and difficult year for U.S. higher education. Policymakers must look closely at numerous current issues impacting the campus, including free speech and DEI, the cost of college and federal student aid programs, as well as various federal regulations impacting our institutions, such as Title IX. This session will provide an overview of what has been happening in Congress, with the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies, and what the 2024 elections might mean for higher education.

Abstract: Designing for the neurodivergent community necessitates a nuanced approach that recognizes their unique sensory experiences and perspectives. This research project delves into the intersection of the built environment, neurodiverse users, neuroarchitecture, and neuroscience to create spaces that enhance the neurodivergent experience and foster inclusivity on modern academic campuses. Come learn how environments that acknowledge neurodiversity and provide options to be alone together, to retreat, or to socialize are essential for ensuring inclusion and wellbeing for a diverse campus community.

Abstract: Academic program misalignment can have serious consequences for institutions, such as a lack of support for competing priorities and unwieldy maintenance of administrative oversight. Students may also obtain degrees that are difficult to explain or find themselves caught in programs that require teach-outs to complete a discontinued course of study. This session will cover how planners can strategically invest institutional resources in academic program proposals to ensure programs are student centered, institutionally aligned, and collaborative. Join us to discover how you can effectively analyze and align programs, engage stakeholders, and manage expectations for academic programs at your institution.

Abstract: Academic office spaces have historically followed established norms. These patterns are changing to maximize and condense real estate, minimize operating costs, and adjust to remote and hybrid work. This session will examine fundamentals of faculty and administrative offices and review student adjacencies, hot-desking and co-sharing space trends, and the future of hybrid work environments. We'll spotlight three unique academic office solutions that cover both new construction and existing renovation construction types. Join us to benefit from lessons learned, identifying potential pitfalls and new opportunities.

Abstract: Designing a forward-thinking research building without identified occupants is a bold undertaking. Through an integrated planning and data-driven process, North Carolina State University (NCSU) designed a flexible academic research building, inspiring cross-functional collaboration which has led to increased industry partnerships and innovation. This session will highlight how a collaborative team enabled decision-making throughout the design process to create a future-proofed, energizing hub for academic research. Come learn how to leverage benchmarking, analytics, and an integrated planning process to design successful and innovative buildings on your campus.

Abstract: Institutions can move beyond design project engagement activities by actively collaborating with students to explore issues of belonging and mattering to make more meaningful design choices. This session will delve into research created with students from racial minorities at North Carolina State University's (NCSU) D. H. Jr. Hill Library, which explores their perceptions and offers their visions for more just and equitable spaces. Along with learning how to connect students' sense of belonging and mattering to campus design through meaningful collaboration, you'll leave this session with a replicable research model to use with students to envision more inclusive learning environments.

Abstract: Campus facility design is a complex process that involves many sources of opinion and influence. Educational environments must enhance evolving pedagogies, support learning, administrative, and social functions, and accommodate ever-changing institutional needs. The systematic use of standardized evaluation tools for assessment of higher education facilities provides comprehensive insight into occupant experience from diverse, unique perspectives for informed and integrated planning decisions. In this session, we'll share practical strategies for conducting occupant evaluations across all types of facilities, as well as occupant outcome findings and the resulting planning decisions.