Picture it: Faculty no longer get their own offices and libraries have vanished. Dorm rooms come standard with private bathrooms and maid service, and terrazzo tile has replaced carpeting as the new standard flooring across college campuses. Sound ludicrous? Maybe not. While such a transformation certainly won't be complete in 2016, big changes are coming, […]
The University of Vermont offers its students allergen-free, gluten-free and kosher food stations—plus cage-free eggs, fair trade coffee and locally sourced organic food (including Vermont maple syrup). Hunger cravings can be satisfied at any of three dining halls and 12 retail locations on campus, yet meal prices haven't increased at rates higher than the cost […]
While renovating the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, workers found a "chemical hearth" hidden behind the walls. It turned out to have been part of an early science classroom commissioned by university founder Thomas Jefferson. The room, likely sealed in the mid-1800s, survived a fire in 1895 that destroyed much of the building's interior. […]
There is an opportunity that many universities are unaware of that can provide immediate tax cash savings. If you have conducted renovations to your buildings in the past, you may be in a position to take advantage of recently released Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") regulations. The following provides a brief background of the opportunity, outlines […]
Adding green and sustainable elements to facilities during new construction and renovations is no longer an option for colleges and universities—it's the expectation. "Sustainability is increasingly becoming the standard for construction and master planning in higher ed," says Monika Urbanski, STARS program analyst with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Officials […]
Outside the circle of higher ed facilities managers, it's the shiny new campus buildings that get all the glory. Yet what facilities insiders know all too well is that existing buildings are in dire need of attention. Aging buildings, a recent economic downturn and pressure to invest in new construction has led to rising deferred […]
Much has been written about the future role of the traditional university. Recently I was invited to present on "Keeping Traditional Higher Education a Dominant Force" in times of greater competition and changing demographics of the population. Especially in the traditional higher education model, the need to adapt to the future pressures of competition and […]
Despite the economic and demographic factors that indicate challenging times ahead for higher ed, campuses across the country are busy building, according to a survey of college and university leaders by UB. The survey took a look at the inspiration behind campus construction efforts and the overall institutional impact of the projects. With student enrollment […]
As the definition of student success continues to expand beyond retention and graduation rates, its physical presence on many campuses is also beginning to sprawl. Student success centers have been emerging for years, and the trend is expected to continue. For each school considering one, decisions involve how to structure and design the space, as […]
A pair of draft horses often plows the campus farm at Sterling College. Sterling does have tractors—its agriculture students have to learn how to use all varieties of equipment—but the energy-saving horses are just one step in the Vermont school's extensive and award-winning sustainable dining program. The farm produces about 20 percent of the food […]
