As college and university leaders look to the future of their institutions, many see a complex — and maybe even contradictory — set of physical demands and pressures, from accommodating growing student bodies with limited land, to planning new academic and research facilities while reducing carbon emissions. Is it really possible to achieve all of these goals?

For valuable insight on how some of the country’s most innovative higher-education institutions are navigating these challenges through strategic master planning, consider speaking with the campus planning experts Mike Aziz and Michael Austin from the national firm Cooper Robertson.

In fact, Aziz and Austin are presenting on this topic next week at the annual Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Conference in Philadelphia, where they will share an influential case study from the University of Maryland (UMD). Cooper Robertson recently debuted a bold new campus facilities plan for this flagship public university’s primary College Park campus, which aims to guide the university’s evolution from a suburban enclave into a dynamic innovation hub.

In the panel discussion, the two Cooper Robertson leaders join University of Maryland’s assistant director of facilities planning, Rebecca Arnold, along with Jonathan Friedan from architecture and energy engineer Ballinger. They will share new ideas for how older campuses can become vibrant, transit-rich, and sustainable innovation centers.

Sharing key elements of the ambitious UMD initiative, this interdisciplinary group of experts addresses some of today’s most pressing campus facilities challenges, including:

• Strategies for helping large universities achieve carbon neutrality.

• How to uncover opportunities to repurpose existing structures and build new advanced academic, residential, and recreational facilities with limited land assets.

• Best practices for planning new green spaces, pedestrian thoroughfares, and multimodal transit connections that enhance connectivity between a campus and its surrounding communities.

About the Event

Who:
Mike Aziz, AIA, LEED AP, Partner
Michael Austin, AICP, LEED AP-ND, Senior Associate
Rebecca Arnold, Assistant Director, University of Maryland-College Park
Jonathan Friedan, Principal, Ballinger

What: “Fearlessly Forward: Charting a Path from Suburban Flagship to Innovation Center” panel discussion

When: Monday, July 22, 11:10 a.m., ET

Where: SCUP 2024 Annual Conference, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia

Description:
Aligned with the University of Maryland (UMD) Campus Facilities Plan’s recent Strategic Plan, the program identifies key construction projects, multi-modal enhancements, and infrastructure and sustainability initiatives, and addresses enduring challenges including accommodating growth amidst a scarcity of land and navigating a varied physical topography. As UMD expands academic programming and experiences a surge in enrollment and research, this plan creates an unprecedented opportunity to enhance connectivity with adjacent communities, embrace a new light rail system, and future-proof the campus with carbon-neutral operations.