Most educational institutions have faced the decision whether to demolish, abandon or sell a facility. This article discusses how institutions can decide whether to renovate or build new. The author suggests to develop a campus- or districtwide master plan. A long-range master plan includes assessments of deferred maintenance, educational…

When the five-member Board of the Alameda Unified School District selected Kirsten Vital as the new superintendent in 2009, they chose someone from outside their tight-knit community. Board Trustee Margie Sherratt thought Vital was chosen to "get us moving," to be a change agent on closing the achievement gap. Vital, in her initial…

2010 marks the 50th anniversary of California's famed Master Plan for Higher Education, arguably the single most influential effort to plan the future of a system of higher education in the annals of American higher education. This essay builds on the analysis offered in a previous CSHE research paper ("From Chaos to Order and Back") by…

The Board of Trustees of the State Universities and Colleges of Maryland completed master plans for the board's six institutions in 1970. Explained are the initial planning process, how the plans were kept current, and why facility planning is important today. (MLF)

Describes how developing a master plan can help school districts anticipate their facility needs and the problems that may arise, and help school administrators articulate their expectations to educational planners and architects. (EV)

This article presents reasons for and against in-house master planning of major college campus facilities. Examples of the in-house planning process are from Mesa State College (Colorado). Guidelines offered for in-house planning include: plan for interruptions, plan for change, identify areas where additional help is needed, get consistent data…

This master plan for 1993-98 is Patrick Henry Community College's (PHCC's) long-range planning document, designed to guide the college through the 5-year period. Section I provides background information on the history of the college; community characteristics; population trends in Martinsville, Virginia, and the surrounding counties of Patrick,…

Within the field of education, the act of planning implies that the schools are more than passive pawns in the hands of socioeconomic forces. The current profound demographic changes, which will continue to reshape the nation and its schools in the coming decades, make strategic planning particulary important. Implementing a strategic plan first…

Three different approaches to environmental scanning for strategic planning are offered. Long-range planning in the San Francisco Community College District, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the California Postsecondary Education Commission are described. (MLW)

Describes five possible institutional "futures," derived from a participatory action research process at a large urban research university in Canada, reflecting the range of thinking regarding the role of universities. The contrasting missions are: confederation of faculties, learner centered, regionally responsive, research dominant, and thematic…

To accommodate the complex needs of a large multi-campus district, the planning process used by Pima Community College in Arizona has five primary characteristics: planning is ongoing; it links strategic and program planning with budgeting and resource development; it is interactive among campuses; campus and district-level planning address master…

This 5-year strategic master plan states the intended direction for Maricopa Technical Community College (MTCC) for 1983 to 1988, providing an overview of the philosophy, purpose, and direction of the college; and highlighting its planning process, mission, and institutional and operational goals. The first sections describe the process and…

The problem of how best to plan for Arizona's future is approached from two different angles. First, an outline is presented of 10 key assumptions regarding the most likely scenario for the United States in the 1980's. Assumptions are that there will be an unstable international environment but no nuclear war; fiscal conservatism in all areas of…

This handbook is designed to aid the extension state director in determining high priorities, allocating resources, and planning future programs. It has four sections. Section I provides a clear definition of long-range plans and their relationship to major programs. Section II is for extension staff with responsibilities for identifying emerging…

Presents possible strategies which all countries can use to develop a national environmental education plan. Provides information on background factors to consider and a general planning and management process for developing such a plan. Proposes a plan for the United States. (DC)