Planning for your 2018 Academic Year
More than educated guessing
With 2018 looming on the horizon, most campus decision-makers have budgets and planning on the brain. The changing landscape of educational campuses is making planning and expenditure projections more critical, and more difficult. As a 2013 article from the American Council on Education notes: “With much higher education’s growth happening online and new dynamics of learning and research shattering centuries-long assumptions, the very nature of higher education seems in flux”. How will these changes affect your campus planning process? How do you avoid under building, which could limit your institutions functionality and undermine productivity; or overbuilding, which can waste valuable resources on expensive classrooms or dormitories? Proper planning can not only save you from costly oversights, it can also bring in new revenue while improving existing facilities. It’s not just about square footage or the number of meals served anymore.
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Planning occurs on two scales. The larger scale involves stepping back and asking big-picture questions such as “Who are we as an institution?” and “Where are we going? How does that compare with where we want to go?” The smaller scale considers the finer details of campus, and how to leverage your assets with opportunities. The first step n this planning process is recognizing these opportunities. Understanding your facilities and budget as they pertain to on-campus services such as food, retail, vending, parking, and even coffee. A comprehensive understanding of your institution allows you to integrate real-world solutions into your planning process.
Master planning is complicated. It requires experience, teamwork, and dedication to ensure that your plan serves your institution fully. We’d love to help you plan the best possible year for your campus, and position it for years of success.
As we look ahead to all of the potential that 2018 holds, we wish each of you a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.
Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.
-Alan Lakein