Higher Ed


Hy-Lite

Rolling Privacy Panels Facilitate Physical Distancing

U.S.-based Hy-Lite said its new panels are made of architectural-grade acrylic blocks that allow light through while protecting privacy.

U North Florida Gets $6 million to Start Setting up "MedNexus"

The University of North Florida has received $6 million in the latest state budget to build what the university has named the UNF MedNexus. The intent is to create an operation that connects regional healthcare providers with university students, faculty and researchers.

Stevens College of Tech Expanding Footprint with New Diesel School. Source: Greenfield Architects

Stevens College of Tech Expanding Footprint with New Diesel School

Construction has begun on a new facility that will be leased by a Pennsylvania college. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is expecting to move into the new building by June 1, 2021.

Texas A&M Converting Sports Venues, Other Facilities into Class Spaces

Texas A&M said it would convert non-traditional spaces into classrooms for the fall semester, which starts on Aug. 19.

E.J. Whitmire Stadium at Western Carolina University, in busier days. Source: Western Carolina University

Western Carolina U Chooses Woolpert for Stadium Project

A North Carolina institution is almost finished with a million-dollar project in its stadium. The Western Carolina University project included the removal, demolition and replacement of the existing synthetic turf field and the addition of a new synthetic turf practice area.

Kim Consavage, a member of Michigan State

Michigan State Halts Construction on Three Major Projects

Michigan State University has put the brakes on a number of campus construction projects to address a funding gap posed by the impact of the pandemic.

Finlandia

Finlandia U Plans Fall Opening of New Health Sciences Facility

Finlandia University's College of Health Sciences will be ready to receive students in fall 2020 in its new location, in spite of project delays due to a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the institution.

academic design and construction

Why Design-Build Merits Serious Consideration for Academic Design & Construction

The academic sector is the perfect use case for exploring how design-build is the best delivery system for mitigating risk, increasing the speed of delivery, lowering costs, and delivering great design – all through a simpler, more collaborative process.

Group of students seated next to each other.

Q&A with the Editor: Tim Nyblom and Dave O’Driscoll, HID Global

We spoke to HID Global's Tim Nyblom, End User Business Manager - Higher Ed, and Dave O’Driscoll, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, about cloud and mobile technologies that will be important when universities reopen in the fall and in the next few years.

Austin Community College, Elgin Campus. Photo by Mark Menjivar.

Design Considerations for Supporting Student Resiliency

How can higher education institutions incorporate student success in their resilience planning process as they consider future impacts on campuses? And how can design professionals use their knowledge and skills to support this effort?

A woman student wearing a face mask looks at her phone while a few feet away a male student wearing a face mask looks at a book.

Q&A with a Facility Services Expert: Protocols for Reopening Colleges and Universities

As colleges and universities make plans to reopen facilities in the fall, higher ed decision makers must consider a variety of issues while COVID-19 continues to spread in communities across the country. A facility services expert shares strategies and protocols used to ensure a healthy environment for students, faculty and staff.

Rendering of Future College

UCSD Forges Ahead on Two "Neighborhood" Projects

While the University of California San Diego has put some projects on hold due to financial constraints introduced by the pandemic, the university is forging ahead with construction work on its North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood and planning for its Future College Living and Learning Neighborhood.

An illustration of the aerial view of the stadium.

School Board Votes to Move Joint District/University Stadium Project Ahead

Des Moines' school board approved a resolution to continue work on a stadium that will serve the school district and Drake University.

Concept for "Vida," the first of three buildings that will make up the Denver-based Spur campus as part of the Colorado State University System. From The Clark Enersen Partners

Colorado System Breaks Ground on Spur Campus

Although the usual groundbreaking celebration was put off due to COVID-19, the Colorado State University System broke ground this month on its newest campus. The Denver site, dubbed "Spur," will eventually include three buildings, focused on the studies of food, water and health.

A rendering of a parking structure, which is among the 16 campus facilities slated for solar panel installation at Emory University. Source: Cherry Street Energy

Emory Adding 15,000 Solar Panels

The Atlanta-based institution will be installing more than 15,000 solar panels on 16 campus buildings. That represents 5.5 megawatts of solar generation, enough to produce about a tenth of the university's peak energy requirements.

College Presidents Say a Fall Opening Is Likely, According to Survey

Three-hundred and ten presidents responded to the survey on topics such as “their current plans for the fall, including actions they may require to consider reopening campus, the impact of the pandemic on future revenue, and the projected impact on fall enrollment numbers.”

NC State University’s Talley Student Union

Design for Post-Millennials: How Gen Z Is Shaping Higher Ed Spaces

They are the first generation to be immersed in technology since birth, experiencing it as an extension of daily life. As future Gen Zers progress through our learning institutions, their characteristics, wants and needs will further shape K-12 education environments, university campuses and future workplaces.

Binghamton U Puts Most Construction on Hold During Virus Closures

Directions issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in late March suspended all non-essential construction activity in New York, leaving universities and colleges scrambling to put construction projects on hold in a manner that would allow them to pick up the work when closures have been lifted. At Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York system, that affected numerous building sites.

Construction Workers Get Back to Work at U Michigan

Construction sites in Michigan that were under state shutdown orders are starting work again — including at the University of Michigan. The institution has begun working with state officials to crank up activities on multiple projects, including new construction and renovation and addition work.

Baylor Fall Planning Heavy on Flexibility

Although Baylor University intends to return to in-person classes in the fall, the Texas institution said that doesn't mean it's planning for a "normal start."

Appalachian State Announces 16 Cases of COVID-19 Among Construction Workers

Appalachian State University recently learned that 16 subcontracted workers have tested positive for COVID-19.

Young woman sitting at a desk looking at her laptop in a bedroom.

Out of the Cloud: The Future of Student Housing

Just as our homes have once again become the epicenters of our lives under quarantine — leading us to consider and re-evaluate their design — student housing facilities will likewise undergo massive changes in response to new hygiene concerns and lifestyle desires of students and their families.

Ohio Community College Launches Tuition Assistance Program

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in Cleveland, Ohio will cover tuition for students facing financial hardship due to COVID-19.

Empty classroom. Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

UPDATED: Resources for Educational Facilities During COVID-19

With COVID-19 changing the educational landscape each day, school and college decision makers need all the help they can get during this global crisis. Here are some resources on everything schools and colleges need to consider regarding educational facilities, construction, design and planning of new facilities, maintenance, managing employees and much more. (Updated 5/13)

Entries Now Open for New Product of the Year Award

Spaces4Learning has opened its 2020 New Product of the Year award program. Each year, the program recognizes new and emerging products and technologies for the outstanding contributions they make to K–12 and higher education.

A woman architect looking at blueprints with her laptop open.

What Schools and Colleges Have to Rethink for Fall 2020

The fall of 2020 will be different. Nobody knows for sure what it will look like, but most would agree that it <em>will</em> be different, which raises many questions for those of us involved in the construction and design of academic facilities.

A custodial worker using an electrostatic mister to clean an office.

Combating COVID-19 with Electrostatic Misters

This cleaning process provides more thorough coverage, essentially leaving no place for germs and pathogens, including those that cause COVID-19, to hide.

Michigan Community Colleges See Decline in Summer Enrollment

Michigan community colleges are seeing a decline in summer enrollment, an indication of what’s to come in the fall.

IIE to Provide Emergency Funding for International Students

The organization is calling IIE Network Member institutions to nominate international students who are not able to return to their home countries over the summer due to COVID-19 for a grant of up to $2,500.

Boston University Plans for Possible Delay of Fall Semester

Boston University is planning for the possibility that the fall term might have to be delayed and instead reopened in January 2021.

New Jersey Halts Construction Except for Schools, Hospitals, and Other Projects

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the indefinite halt to non-essential construction, effective April 10 at 8 p.m. The new executive order tightens restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Learning in Lounge Areas

Extending the Classroom

Learning is no longer restricted to the classroom or the library. Increasing the use and appeal of the space in between classrooms and other traditional learning environments can play a key role in teaching and learning.

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