Learning Resources

Abstract: As a campus built on standards of social justice and experiential learning, Roger Williams University used COVID-19 as an opportunity to think creatively about ways to serve its community.

True to its inclusive mission, the school showed its character throughout the crisis and its planning, coming up with personal ways to connect with prospective families, support off-campus communities, and open pathways to learning.

Abstract: From Ayers Saint Gross, Jessica Leonard, Associate Principal, and Laura Hall, Associate, moderated this Coffee Chat on how will the COVID-19 pandemic might impact how we teach, use space, and think about interdisciplinary opportunities.

Abstract: The past month has been trying for all of higher education. How do we transition our constituents from crisis to collaboration in order to meet the needs of the entire campus community? In this conversation, Mike Martin, Associate Dean Science, Math, and Health at John Carroll University discusses how the administration addressed the first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis and how they have creatively shifted gears with students and faculty toward what’s next.

Abstract: Higher education is a kind of game, a challenging journey with a reward at the end. As such, college and university planners should think of their campuses as large, interactive gameboards so as to create future learning environments that students will demand and need in order to be workforce and life ready.

Abstract: Five years ago, Thomas Jefferson University East Falls Campus (formerly Philadelphia University) planned and implemented an initiative to more mindfully design spaces that optimize active and collaborative teaching and learning. For active learning spaces to be true change agents at the institutional level, we suggest colleges and universities ground an active learning space initiative in the institution’s mission and strategic goals, designate a coordinator to involve stakeholders throughout the entire project, identify faculty members willing to participate, and build a network of support structures within which those faculty members can share their ideas and experiences.

Abstract: In underserved communities, higher education can visibly and accessibly integrate into a suite of critical community-based programs. In this session, we will discuss how to successfully plan campus facilities that accommodate place-specific educational content for non-traditional and underrepresented students as well as lifelong learning for community members. Come explore our roadmap for success with an increasingly relevant sector of higher education that addresses marginalized communities.

Abstract: For an integrated planning effort to succeed—particularly in higher education—collective commitment from all of the institutional stakeholders is critical.

To get that collective commitment, you need to do two things: 1) Design your planning process so it leverages your institution’s internal and external cultures, and 2) Involve your critical stakeholder groups in the planning process. Tapping into the stakeholder groups in meaningful ways will increase engagement, transparency, and commitment to the process and the products of integrated planning. Remember, institutional stakeholders are the carriers of your mission and institutional culture. Mission and culture are the key drivers of institutional success. If you do not respect your stakeholders, mission, and culture, your planning efforts will not yield a plan to enhance student success and institutional thriving.

This toolkit includes recommendations and worksheets to help you analyze your stakeholders and determine how to meaningfully engage them in the planning process.

Abstract: FLEXSpace—The Flexible Learning Environments eXchange—and the Learning Space Rating System (LSRS) are tools that can help you plan, design, assess, and improve learning spaces on your campus. In this session, you will learn about the newly released FLEXspace 2.0 along with the LSRS. We'll cover the features and benefits of both tools and how they can be incorporated into the planning process. Come learn how to use these tools to inform designs and support end users from planning through post occupancy.

Abstract: Institutions usually spend more on providing courses for some academic programs than others. Stakeholders need to decide where and how to allocate resources to support instruction. This session introduces recent best practices using the Delaware Cost Study data to facilitate 1) the identification of under-resourced academic programs and 2) decision making in faculty budgeting and staffing. You will leave this session ready to re-evaluate the metrics you use to support instructional budgeting decisions so you can identify under-resourced programs and accurately understand faculty hiring needs.