- Planning & Programming Study
- A Program Planning Study (PPS) is a document which describes and systematically justifies the need for improved or expanded facilities; evaluates alternative solutions; and prescribes a strategy for implementing a recommended solution in the context of each campus' academic (master) plan and Physical Development Plan. It should clearly demonstrate how the recommended solution will address both qualitative and quantitative deficiencies identified for a particular program.
- The PPS serves four very important functions:
- It provides a guide for further planning, design, and development;
- It provides the foundation for project objectives, scope, and budget, as a basis for agreements between the Campus, System Administration, Board of Curators (BOC) and external agencies, including the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, State Legislature, and the Governor's Office;
- It permits objective evaluation of the relative needs for capital investment and facilitates prioritization of projects as a part of the capital budgeting process;
- As part of the University's capital budgeting process, it provides supporting material for the condensed information required for the proposed project in the University's "immediate" capital budget cycle.
- A PPS should be completed for any project included on the Campus Capital Plan, prior to seeking Project Approval from the BOC, or for any project seeking State funding.
- A PPS shall include the following:
- Academic Program and Space Allocation Plan - Provide background information on the campus' academic plan and Physical Development Plan as it relates to a specific academic program(s). This information, drawn from historical perspectives as well as recent experience and future trends, should clearly describe the program requirements.
- (1) To facilitate a comparative analysis of each project and to allow for the evaluation of current capacity and projected costs, information provided in this section should include the following detail:
(a) Summarize the program's current mission statement and its relationship to the academic plan. Indicate projected growth in overall credit hour enrollment of the particular program, as well as all teaching loads in support of other programs. Explain the assumptions which support the projections used. These may relate to anticipated demand for skills, local or national job market, age or type of population being served, etc. Projections should include 5, 10, and 15 year horizons.
(b) Compile information related to current space assignments from the University's Facilities Inventory. Show current assignments by type of space and location. Point out any qualitative issues related to existing assignments that support the need for the proposed project.
(c) Determine space needs based on current and projected enrollment and staffing levels using campus space guidelines or nationally recognized standards (e.g. WICHE, University of Minnesota, Colorado Commission of Higher Education, etc.).
(d) Provide a narrative explaining parameters used in analyses relative to day vs. night usage, credit hour to contact hour conversions, faculty participation in research, student office policies, etc. Show calculations used to determine space needs.
- Project Definition - Provide a comprehensive evaluation of alternate solutions to the needs identified in the previous section. This analysis should include the short and long-range implications to both the program and the Physical Development Plan, as well as operational and life cycle costs.
- Project Justification -Describe the benefits of the proposed project as it relates to improving the quality, availability, and support of the academic program(s) affected. Include as much of the following information as appropriate:
- (1) Indicate how this project meets the need for space as documented above. Provide a detailed summary of special facilities, the programs/activities that will occur in the space including any proposed non-university funded activities and facilities available for campus-wide use.
(2) Outline the capacity of the facility in terms of program needs over time. Identify requirements for future expansion and describe the flexibility built into the proposed facility to accommodate future prog
- (1) Indicate how this project meets the need for space as documented above. Provide a detailed summary of special facilities, the programs/activities that will occur in the space including any proposed non-university funded activities and facilities available for campus-wide use.
- Academic Program and Space Allocation Plan - Provide background information on the campus' academic plan and Physical Development Plan as it relates to a specific academic program(s). This information, drawn from historical perspectives as well as recent experience and future trends, should clearly describe the program requirements.