Insider’s Scoop on SCUP 47

Insider Headlines we gathered from Wayne O’Neill after he attending SCUP 47 (Society for College and University Planning)   Annual, International Conference & Idea Marketplace, “Make No Isolated Plans:  Integrated Planning for Educational Quality” on July 7-11, 2012  Chicago, IL. included:

• Frustration with Service Providers who Wait Too Long to come in and conceptualize the institution’s problems and offer help with solutions.  Institutions want service providers to understand their business and political issues, get involved and offer answers.  We help service providers who need help figuring out these issues and facilitate project delivery partners who can mutually benefit through insightful solutions.

• Billions of Dollars are needed now for Deferred Maintenance.  Colleges and Universities are now recognizing the importance of facility assessment.  Physical assessment of the facilities as well as utilization assessments are valuable in determining functionality and more effective space management.  While these assessments used to be considered a throw away service with hopes of creating justification for building a new building in the future, institutions now need these assessments for ideas on ways buildings could be adapted for maximizing space management without building a new facility.  The problem is that is easier to get funding on a new building that can be named after the benefactor, than to get funding to repair the roof or update systems.  For years, maintenance budgets have been cut and institutions have tried to get by on quick fixes.  This deferred maintenance has now caught up to them and they need creative, effective, efficient solutions now.

Additional Issues for Colleges and Universities:

1. Distance learning is affecting campus space management with political implications.
2. Need different sources of liquidity due to the halt of traditional money streams.
3. Student needs have changed and institutions who recognize this and change accordingly are successful.
4. Psychological insights are needed from service providers for institutions that are largely silo driven and resistant to change.
5. Community colleges and some private colleges are ahead of the game, while big institutions are playing catch up in terms of economic development, business partnerships and job creation.