CBE’s visionary programming analysis

Looking forward to 2022-2023, the second year of implementing the CBE strategic framework, one of our major projects will be to look at how our college’s virtual and physical spaces and places support our goals, specifically:

Embrace inter- and intra-disciplinary collaboration as a core curricular value that shapes all student experiences and professional practice; and ensure the most positive, welcoming experiences possible for prospective students, students, and graduates.

In order to progress towards these intentions, we will be going through a space analysis with the architecture and design firm KieranTimberlake. The purpose of this analysis is to answer the question: What are the academic work and learning spaces of the future?

We will be focused on:

• Transforming the student experience
• Promoting equity
• Future proofing
• Providing a diversity of instructional space types
• Enhancing collaboration
• Specific to the culture of CBE, celebrating hands-on fabrication and testing spaces

We will be investigating:
➔ how can space support or generate opportunities for more collaboration among faculty, staff and students of diverse disciplines and backgrounds
➔ is there a different way of organizing operations (program administration, advising, research) for more work across disciplines and operational supports
➔ how can spaces communicate welcome to a diverse range of current and prospective students, faculty and staff
➔ can we increase the diversity of instructional space types such as outdoor and semi-conditioned space
➔ how do our space needs change with additional use of hybrid remote and in-person learning and interaction
➔ how can our values hands-on fabrication and testing for teaching and scholarship be supported or reflected in our spaces

Outcomes may include:
Pilot testing of artwork, furniture, paint colors
Potential for limited and targeted renovation
Schematic program ideas
Strategy for future major renewal projects, including phasing and funding sources

Your engagement will be critical to the success of this project.

Timeline:
September 2022: Project start
September – October: Space assessment
October – December: Stakeholder engagement
November – December: Program and project development
December – January 2023: Project refinement and report out

Note if you are on campus this summer and see renovations occurring over the summer, these are long planned updates to meet immediate needs, separate from this effort.

Stay tuned for more information about how you can get involved. Expect to hear from me in September.