Abstract:

This paper reviewed three capital projects at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). The projects scope, delivery approaches and outcomes are discussed with emphasis on project highlights, challenges, used and emerging trends in higher educational facilities development. The projects were rated against the Top Ten Critical Higher Education Facilities issues. Across the USA and the world, higher educational institutions are still engaging in higher educational facilities development. Higher educational institutions engage in capital projects for myriads of reasons among which are providing needed, adequate, efficient space, equipment, and technology that supports academic programs and the institution’s mission. In the face of the current fiscal challenges, colleges and universities will be expected to deliver more education in less space – to increase their learning per square feet. Capital and operating budgets in institutions and governments are restrained; accountability in all aspects of higher education is on the rise. The advocation for creating a sustaining culture of assessment in institutions is also on the rise. A culture of assessment has been defined as an organizational environment in which decisions are based on facts, research and analysis, and where services are planned and delivered in ways that maximize positive outcomes and impacts for customers and stakeholders within organizations. The three capital projects at the university of Maryland Eastern Shore were reviewed and assessed against the Top Ten Critical Higher Educational Facilities issues and trends in higher education. The projects responded favorably to the issues and to the institution’s sustainability goals .The findings of this paper may also support the neo-institutionalism view that higher educational institutions act in similar ways in a given environment.

Keywords:

Higher Education, Facilities Planning, Project Development.