Program Planning Study

A Program Planning Study (PPS) describes and systematically justifies the need for improved or expanded facilities; evaluates alternate solutions; and prescribes a strategy to implement a recommended solution within the context of each campus strategic, academic (master) plan, and Physical Development Plan. It should clearly explain how the recommended solution would address both qualitative and quantitative deficiencies identified for a particular program.

The PPS serves four very important functions:

1. It allows objective evaluation and prioritization of capital needs.
2. It provides the foundation for project objectives, scope, and budget, as a basis for agreements between the Campus, System Administration, and external agencies, including the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, State Legislature, and the Governor's Office.
3. It provides a guide for further planning, design, and development.
4. It provides project justification information. A PPS is required before a project may be included in the University's current capital budget cycle.

1. Need Assessment
   1. Academic Program and Space Allocation Plan: Provide background information on the campus strategic plan, academic plan, and Physical Development Plan as it relates to a specific academic program(s). This information, drawn from historical perspectives, recent experience, and future trends, should clearly describe the program requirements.
          To simplify comparative analysis and to allow for the evaluation of current capacity and projected costs, the information provided in this section should include the following detail:
      
      1. Summarize the current mission statement of the program and its relationship to the academic plan. Show projected growth in general credit hour enrollment of the particular program, and all teaching loads in support of other programs. Explain the assumptions that 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.
      2. Compile information related to current space assignments from the University's Facilities Inventory. Show current assignments by type of space and location. Compare space utilization against established campus and national utilization standards, and information from benchmark programs. Point out any qualitative issues related to existing assignments that support the need for the proposed project.
      3. Determine space needs based on current and projected enrollment and staffing levels using established campus space guidelines, space assignments of comparator programs, and/or nationally recognized standards (e.g., WICHE, University of Minnesota, Colorado Commission of Higher Education, etc.).
      4. Provide a narrative explaining parameters used in analyses about day vs. night use, credit hour to contact hour conversions, faculty participation in research, student office policies, etc. Include the calculations used to determine space needs.
   2. Analysis: 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, and operational and life cycle costs.
2. Recommended Improvements
   1. Project Description: Provide a narrative that describes the site, building size, and any special features that will help in supporting the project. Include as much of the following information as appropriate:
      
      1. Describe and illustrate the selected site and explain the benefits and relationship to the campus Physical Development Plan. Point out any special site development goals that will be accomplished.
      2. Provide a summary of the existing and proposed space programs for the total project (i.e., classroom, laboratories, offices, etc.). Show any changes in space type or assignments of existing facilities. Identify the planned efficiency ratio of the facility such as net assignable square feet to gross square feet.
      3. Describe the type of construction anticipated and any special construction requirements of the facility.
   2. 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. Describe the link between this program and the campus strategic, academic and physical development plans.
      2. Justify the space request with the space analysis done in the need assessment. Show how this project meets the space need documented above. Provide a detailed summary of special facilities, the programs and activities that will occur in the space including any proposed non-university funded activities and facilities available for campus-wide use.
      3. 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 program changes.
      4. Describe how the new or renovated facility affects other programs. Identify programs that will occupy the vacated space or programs that will be temporarily assigned to the new or renovated space until the primary program grows into the space.
      5. Illustrate cost/benefit analysis of the project related to energy conservation, 
         operational costs, utility costs, etc.
      6. Describe the consequences to the academic, research or service mission of the program if the project is not accomplished according to the proposed schedule. Describe default plans, if any.
      7. Describe the plan to use any space vacated by this project and include a summary of all costs that may result.
   3. Project Costs and Schedule: Provide a summary of cost projections and the assumptions they are based on. Identify costs for architectural and engineering requirements by major building component (i.e., structural shell, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc.). Include estimated costs for consultant fees, construction contingencies, furniture, fixtures, movable equipment, landscaping, and project administration fees, as part of the total project budget. Also identify capital costs for other projects associated with this project, including the cost to finish shelled space.
   4. Funding Strategy: Describe anticipated sources of funding including the suggested minimum non-state funding of 20% for projects with New Construction. Show anticipated strategy and schedule for acquiring non-state funds.
   5. Operating Expenses: Identify the project costs associated with opening new buildings and the impact on the annual operating budget. Explain the method of arriving at these costs, show the base data and formulas used and identify funding sources.
   6. Supporting Documents Include either within the report or as an appendix the following documents:
      
      1. A site plan showing project location.
      2. The Physical Development Plan showing the relationship of the proposed project to the existing fabric of the campus.
      3. The latest Accreditation Report or related correspondence.
      4. The architectural program for the proposed project. Provide space and functional relationship diagrams of new, renovated, and existing facilities as proposed.

National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Facility Use Categories

Each Rehabilitation and New Construction project should be coded according to the following facility use categories. One building may encompass several categories and space codes.

100 Classroom Facilities

110 Classroom

115 Classroom Service

200 Laboratory Facilities

210 Class Laboratory

215 Class Laboratory Service

220 Open Laboratory

225 Open Laboratory Service

250 Research/Nonclass Laboratory

255 Research/Nonclass Laboratory Service

300 Office Facilities

310 Office

315 Office Service

350 Conference Room (Office Related)

355 Conference Room Service (Office Related)

400 Study Facilities

410 Study Room

420 Stack

430 Open - Stack Study Room

440 Processing Room

455 Study Service

500 Special-Use Facilities

510 Armory

515 Armory Service

520 Athletic or Physical Education

523 Athletic Facilities Spectator Seating

525 Athletic Physical Education Service

530 Media Production

535 Media Production Service

540 Clinic

545 Clinic Service

550 Demonstration

555 Demonstration Service

560 Field Building

570 Animal Quarters

575 Animal Quarters Service

580 Greenhouse

585 Greenhouse Service

590 Other

600 General-Use Facilities

610 Assembly

615 Assembly Service

620 Exhibition

625 Exhibition Service

630 Food Facility

635 Food Facilities Service

640 Day Care

645 Day Care Service

650 Lounge

655 Lounge Service

660 Merchandising

665 Merchandising Service

670 Recreation

675 Recreation Service

680 Meeting Room

685 Meeting Room Service

700 Supporting Facilities

710 Central Computer or Telecommunications

715 Central Computer or Telecommunications Service

720 Shop

725 Shop Service

730 Central Storage

735 Central Storage Service

740 Vehicle Storage

745 Vehicle Storage Service

750 Central Service

760 Hazardous Materials

765 Hazardous Materials Service

800 Health Care Facilities

810 Patient Bedroom

815 Patient Bedroom Service

820 Patient Bath

830 Nurse Station

835 Nurse Station Service

840 Surgery

845 Surgery Service

850 Treatment/Examination

855 Treatment/Examination Service

860 Diagnostic Service Laboratory

870 Central Supplies

880 Public Waiting

890 Staff On-Call Facility

895 Staff On-Call Facility Service

900 Residential Facilities

910 Sleep/Study without Toilet/Bath

919 Toilet/Bath

920 Sleep/Study with Toilet/Bath

935 Sleep/Study Service

950 Apartment

955 Apartment Service

970 House

Unclassified Facilities/Nonassignable Area

050 Inactive Area

060 Alteration or Conversion Area

070 Unfinished Area