Spaces for Science: The PKAL Facilities Resource

It's often hard to say where you should start in using the resources of Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL), but we know that lots of SCUPers have contributed to the contents of this one:

For Project Kaleidoscope, the process of planning- be it for spaces or broader institutional efforts- begins with asking the right questions and with having the right people at the table in a timely manner as such 'right' questions are addressed. This is one of the key PKAL lessons learned that can inform the work of institutional planning teams- be they focusing on planning spaces or programs, budgets or faculty development efforts. The process of questioning also highlights two other over-arching key lessons learned that are relevant for teams charged with planning new spaces for science. The first is that building community should be seen as a goal both for the process of planning and the product of planning; the second is that there is a broader community of peers whose experience and expertise can inform and advance the work of local teams.

Creating Time and Space for Faculty Reflection, Risk-Taking, and Renewal

From the Tomorrow's Professor Blog, comes this interesting piece originally published in the Summer 2008 issue of The Department Chair: A Resource for Academic Administrators:

Faculty today must stay up to date in their fields and energetic in their classrooms or they cannot provide the quality education that students deserve. However, as faculty duties expand and their personal lives become more complex, it is increasingly difficult for faculty to find the space and time necessary to grow professionally and support their institutional communities. Frequently, faculty are overextended in their personal and professional roles while trying to maintain their stride on the academic treadmill. In this climate, institutions must try to find places within the lives of faculty that enable them to reflect on their work,take risks, and reenergize themselves and their academic careers.

In this article, we share the insights we gained by studying the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Faculty Career Enhancement (FCE) program. The Mellon Foundation sought to promote the development of faculty across the academic lifecycle by providing support to selected institutions to design programs tailored to the distinctive needs of their faculty members.

Constructing the Interdisciplinary Ivory Tower: The Planning of Interdisciplinary Spaces on University Campuses

This article from Planning for Higher Education by Michael S. Harris and Karri Holley reports on an analysis of strategic and campus plans at 21 research institutions and the resulting lessons learned regarding planning and nurturing interdisciplinary space.

The demand for interdisciplinary teaching and research suggests the need to understand how universities are undertaking and fostering interdisciplinarity. Through an examination of strategic and master plans at 21 research universities, this article explores how institutions plan and foster interdisciplinary engagement through the use of space on campus. The construction of such space acknowledges that the discrete functions of the university, frequently attributed to the disciplines and departments, are not generally conducive to interdisciplinary engagement. Physical space is a necessary component for successful interdisciplinary initiatives both functionally and symbolically.

Citation
Michael S. Harris and Karri Holley. 2008. Constructing the Interdisciplinary Ivory Tower: The Planning of Interdisciplinary Spaces on University Campuses. Planning for Higher Education. 36(3): 34–43.