Bill Harris’ Post

Daniel Elsea on campus planning: "Maybe it’s time to retire the campus plan as we have known it. In its place should be a more outward-looking type of plan where the often much more significant and complex issues pertaining to the university’s context are given just as much importance as to what has carefully been planned within." https://lnkd.in/ewSCPW4x

--Bryant University Jacob Drive-- Project Complete ✔️ When you’ve got a tight summer deadline and a sprawling campus to work with, precision and speed are absolutely key. This summer, our team, led by Mike C., took on Bryant University’s Jacob Drive with a clear mission: make it happen, and make it fast - and fast, we did. We tackled the challenge of running conduits from the top of campus all the way to the street, setting handholes at every pole location as we went. But that wasn’t all 📸 —we also installed two exterior enclosures for campus camera equipment, making sure the university’s security infrastructure is as strong as ever. Chris and Sam knocked it out of the park by prepping the poles off-site, and with Jeff coordinating deliveries, the entire load was on-site in just one day. With everything completed on time, Bryant University couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Another fast-paced win for the Energy Electric team, keeping our clients happy and ready for whatever’s next! Ready to start your next project? Find out how we can bring it to life at EECNE.com. #BryantUniversity #CampusUpgrades #ElectricalContracting #EnergyElectric #FastTrackProjects #InfrastructureSolutions #PrecisionExecution #SummerSlammer #SecurityInfrastructure #ConstructionSuccess #TeamworkInAction #PoweringYourVision #EECTeam #EECOnTheJob #EECSolutions #EECEfficiency #BuiltByEnergyElectric #EECProjects #EECInnovation #EECLeadsTheWay

My latest blog shares insights on how independent colleges can prioritize initiatives to enhance the student experience while managing limited resources. This includes key strategies for campus renewal and highlights the importance of strategic investments in the post-pandemic landscape. Check it out... https://lnkd.in/g4z4Gehh

If you: 🏛 Were an Engineering, Stamps, Taubman, or SMTD student; 🏢 Lived in Bursley, Baits, or Northwood; 📚 Enjoyed studying or socializing at "The Dude;" 🚌 Or accidentally took a North Campus bus by mistake... You'll really enjoy this story of how the University of Michigan's North Campus came to be. For example, did you know that the planner hired to transform the farm land into a campus also designed the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis? As U-M undertakes intensive efforts to imagine how we will meet the great challenges facing society today, through Vision 2034 and Campus Plan 2050, this article offers an inspiring look back at how we did just that in the wake of WWII, expanding U-M's reputation as a leading institution for research and scholarship.

When Vanderbilt University started noticing that expenses were rising for their planned new residence halls, they took action. A multifaceted team was formed. Working together the team carefully reviewed expenses to find areas to reduce costs. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort to peel back the complex layers of the budget and rein in the overruns. The collaborative, transparent approach Vanderbilt took on this project can serve as a model for other universities. What integrated planning strategies have you employed successfully on major projects? What lessons learned can you share on reining in scope creep or budget overruns? We welcome your insights and experience! Read about their strategies and what you can apply on your campus. https://bddy.me/3truenw #IntegratedPlanning #strategicplanning #highered

What can smart buildings do on a #HigherEd campus, and can they have an impact on student success? A great article from Alexandra Frost (@alexfrostwrites on X) on how college and university campuses need to continually go through mini-technology evolutions to ensure student, faculty, and staff success. Who's your partner to get you to the next finish line? #microtheoryeng #technology #evolution #college #university #highereducation #campus #smartbuildings https://lnkd.in/eYV6mySi

Are single-use university buildings a thing of the past? Flexible university buildings may be the solution to improve students' higher education experiences. Read more ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q02mnQkV0 #highereducation #universityhousing #universities

I just opened my Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) e-blast to see that Joel Pettigrew's fellowship report is public! Congratulations, Joel! Joel explored the challenge of supporting student development in open yet secure urban campuses. He examined campus edge dynamics and student security across several urban institutions, bridging operational campus life insights with design perspectives. The analysis reveals how these "two languages" shape student security and well-being while highlighting opportunities for further research in this complex area. I know how much time and effort goes into researching and writing one of these reports, so let's support Joel by giving it a read, sharing, and utilizing this work:

Universities are no longer judged solely on their academic performance, a student-centric makeover is key to giving a campus a competitive edge. After all, a university’s campus makes that all-important first impression, and it will be the backdrop to lasting memories and shared selfies.    The campus of the future includes green vistas with natural planting, water features, meandering paths, and vibrant social spaces that bring students together and combine technology and comfort. Manned reception desks will be a thing of the past – Gen Z are digital natives, they want to go to a screen and be told who to see and where to go. This sort of responsiveness is essential, but we also need to build in flexibility because we can’t second guess what students will want in 2030.     In the final edition of our University Challenge series, Ridge experts detail nine steps to helping a campus win the university ratings game 👉 https://lnkd.in/d35-MEU9   Aston University | University of Portsmouth | Matthew Winn MRICS | Andrew Bissell FSLL MILP MCIBSE | Abby Foster (née Bartlett) | Simon Mason    #University #Campus #StudentExperience #BuiltEnvironment #HigherEducation  

I often get asked about my perspective on college rankings. Certainly, perspectives change depending on how the rankings look for a particular institution. If the rankings are good or great for the institution, well then, they are the true measure of the institution. If the rankings aren't so great, then we don't look to rankings to define the institution's value. Today, the #WSJ rankings are wildly positive for Cal Poly Pomona. So what is my perspective? Do. The. Right. Thing. - and the rankings will take care of themselves. At the Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering, "learn by doing" rules the day. What we do "beyond" the classroom in student clubs and competition teams prepares students for their careers. Student success comes from intentionality, engagement, rigor, and belonging. Do these things right, and the rankings don't matter. While No. 7 on the list of public institutions is a great testament to what California State Polytechnic University-Pomona does right, we are #1 at changing the lives of the students who choose to make this their academic home. That is the only ranking that matters to me. #CPP #dotherightthing #studentsuccess #engineering #changinglives