Learning Resources

Abstract: The StudentLink Center, New York University's consolidated services model, has transformed student services delivery. Our highly efficient student-centered model focuses on simplifying services by removing barriers to students. We will show how to maintain a friendly warm-touch environment that leverages technology to streamline business processes, collect data, and utilize obtained data to cross train your team and improve productivity. You will walk away from this session with an understanding of how our service model works and how data collection can serve to enhance cross-training efforts and increase productivity.

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.

Abstract: Leers Weinzapfel Associates recently talked with campus planners and facilities directors nationwide about the big issues driving campus planning. Rapidly evolving pedagogies are demanding radical rethinking of effective teaching and learning spaces. Better use and optimal configuration of these venues is key as the stereotypical “sage on the stage” mode of instruction rapidly expands through a wide range of interactive, hands-on, and socially enhanced settings. Several examples of the firm’s work—the University of Massachusetts Amherst John W. Olver Design Building, the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Stadium Drive Residence Hall, and the Wentworth Institute of Technology (Boston) Multipurpose Academic Building—substantiate these findings in practice.

Abstract: As the challenges that students face become increasingly complex and interwoven, student service providers must innovate in order to continue to connect users to their offerings. Moreover, those services must be planned for holistically with an aligned understanding of why, what, where, when, and how they will be delivered. This article draws on brightspot strategy’s work with more than 50 leading universities as an experience design and strategy consultancy as well as best practices from the field to share some of the approaches, tools, and lessons learned in designing services to meet the needs of today’s students.

Abstract: Introducing housing on a community college campus will affect several areas of campus life including dining, security, recreation, and student programming. Unlike four-year institutions, community colleges have limited activity after a certain hour with the exception of library and recreational facilities. Additional programs and services will be needed to support a 24-hour operation, which will have an impact on the overall operating costs of the college. This article is intended to identify the direct and indirect costs involved and assess the overall financial impact of operating student housing.

Abstract: In the current highly competitive higher education market in North America, many colleges have identified the importance of upgrading their existing residential housing facilities as part of their strategy to attract and retain students. The case study discussed in this article describes the successful planning process used by Perkins+Will and Simmons College to develop a comprehensive housing strategy and plan for the college for the next 10 to 15 years. The process involves five steps, which will yield a realistic and consensus-driven housing strategy for any institution.

Abstract: This publication, a follow-up to the popular Planning for Student Services: Best Practices for the 21st Century, introduces the topic of web portals and call centers needed to support web services. It also describes the lessons learned from one-stop centers, which are causing facilities to be redesigned and new service career paths to be defined. Services have become a strategic issue for institutions, and web strategies—driven by web services—have become critical as well. The authors, who are among IBM best practice partners, present case studies of their institutions by describing their experiences in these areas. They also show how they have been successful in integrating technology into their student services projects, redesigning their processes, implementing change, and extending their brand.