Recent studies have found that in the past decade, institutional space in relation to the wealth and funding of higher education institutions needs to be balanced: Space growth is outpacing enrollment growth. The goal is to grow enrollment and increase space at about the same rate. However, since 2012, space growth has continued to increase while enrollment growth has remained flat. Why?
How to Improve Strategic Planning for Education Facilities
Recently, poor planning has led higher education institutions to invest heavily in new construction projects to attract more students; however, the goal of increased enrollment has yet to match the rapid expansion of new building programs.
Read our guide to financial analysis for facility managers.
Poor planning at universities results in disillusioned faculty, staff, and students, poor use of vital resources, and failed accreditation reviews. This means institutions lose out on both funding and prestige. Here, we discuss best practices for rethinking the strategic planning process.
Quality strategic planning connects vision, priorities, people, and the physical institution to a flexible evaluation, decision-making, and action system. It shapes and guides the entire higher education organization as it evolves over time and within the context of the wider community.
Include Stakeholders in the Early Stages
Involving stakeholders in planning will help build a broad support network across diverse constituents. In particular, the planning committee benefits from members representing various institutional roles, demographic groups, and campus units. In addition to building buy‐in, a diverse committee helps to anticipate the future cross‐unit coordination necessary to carry out goals and objectives.
Build a Diverse Committee
Create a planning committee that encourages broad participation, which consists of senior administrators, faculty, staff, one or two students, an alumni representative, and a representative of the institution’s foundation. Participating staff and administrators represent academics, student affairs, facilities, operations, enrollment management, information technology, institutional research, alumni relations, athletics, and budgeting.
Develop Shorter Planning Cycles
Develop a shorter cycle and revise the five‐year strategic framework to produce a better budget that reflects strategic priorities and outlines implementation steps for the coming year.
These are the top 3 trends impacting education facilities management right now.
Typically, strategic plan cycles range from five to 11 years. However, studies have demonstrated that shorter plan cycles may mitigate the tendency to front‐load or back‐load goals during the planning process. These pitfalls can lead to unrealistic timelines and a loss of momentum.
Align Capital Investments with the Institutional Mission
Increasingly, educational institutions want to align buildings and capital investments with the organization's mission. This requires a focus on different types of outcomes beyond reliability and efficiency. Namely, aligning the budget and capital investments with the strategic plan will make the institution more impactful.
For example, redesigning an institution’s budget request form to include strategic importance can ensure that key initiatives are implemented. The strategic planning process can also support fundraising campaigns by developing a wide-ranging support network, establishing institutional priorities, and setting evidence‐based metrics.
Strategic Planning for Education Facilities
When it comes to strategic planning, the stakes are high, but the rewards are higher. Designing and implementing a solid strategic planning process will provide an institution with a forum for campus-wide conversations about important decisions.
The process should also be organized to include assessment, resource allocation, and accreditation. A strategic plan should be a source of information about progress and achievement with real meaning for those associated with the institution.
Intellis's innovative technology and facility management software platforms empower universities and colleges to work smarter and more efficiently. Intellis's platform offers an efficient, affordable, and adaptable solution for educational facility executives and business officers. Schedule a demo today to learn more!
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This blog provides valuable insights on enhancing strategic planning for educational facilities. Technology should empower your team to improve efficiency and workflow. At Intellis, we look forward to seeing the progress educational institutions make across these areas, and we’re proud to be an ally in helping higher education institutions work smarter to reach new levels of success!
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