Since 1989, the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) has recognized exceptional contributions to the activities and success of the society. This year’s DSA recipients are: the members of the original concept team that created the SCUP Planning Institute (PI).

In summer and fall 2002, a SCUP task force met to discuss SCUP’s mission for member education and how the SCUP Professional Development Committee could assist with that charge.

The task force members discussed the challenges of building an institute, and the importance of articulating the body of knowledge that represents a sound foundation for all higher education planners.

In development of the PI, the task force reviewed the SCUP archives — committee recommendations, SCUP conference workshop materials including Planning and Planning Processes for Persons New to the Field (managed by Ray Haas for 30 years), and ideas from the Knowledge Task Force discussion in 2000. The genesis of the PI also evolved from an early important collaboration with the American Council on Education Fellows Program.

What emerged was an integrated, multi-step Planning Institute that has become a SCUP hallmark of innovation. Since its inception in 2003, it has evolved through the effort and insights of many more contributors and designers as the need for planning in higher education has become more complex and essential. To date, there are 531 Planning Institute alumni.

By bestowing this award, the SCUP Board of Directors honors and recognizes the work of the original PI concept team for their foundational work in this SCUP initiative.

Sarah A. Beamer
Director of Finance and Administrative Services, Mount Rogers Community Services Board, Wytheville, VA

Niraj Dangoria
Associate Dean, Facilities Planning and Management, Stanford University, CA

Fran Gast
Retired Planner, Santa Rosa, CA

Raymond M. Haas
Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Art Lidsky
President, Dober Lidsky Mathey, Belmont, MA

Marge McDermott
Formerly Assistant Director, Facilities Planning & Construction, University of Delaware, DE

Brian Nedwek
Higher Education Consultant, Avon Lake, OH

Nancy Tinker (deceased)
Formerly Director of Facilities Management and Planning, Eastern Connecticut State University, CT

Karen [Bauer] Webber
Associate Professor of Higher Education, and Associate Professor, Institute of Higher Education, The University of Georgia, GA

L. Carole Wharton
Retired Planner, Daytona Beach, FL