Physical Space
Our school facilities are sufficient at the moment but in two year we will be accredited and we predict an increment of our alumni by 50%. How can we stay in our same location and include more students?
Thanks!
Interesting situation Vicky. A problem because of doubling your enrollment!!! You might want to consider satellite locations. Rules depend on your state and accrediting agency. Usually satellites are classrooms located at a certain distance from the main campus. Students have all the resources of the main campus but go to some or all classes elsewhere. This is a strategy to handle overflow. Also to meet the needs of students who might live at a distance from your school. Another thought is to talk to your landlord about space that might come up assuming you are in an office or strip mall area. Another idea is to run classes 7 days a week and nights as well. Lots of options. Susan
What about offering different sessions. Work with what you have-- maybe a morning/afternoon/and or evening session.
Hi Tina
It's amazing how many students can be enrolled during the year regardless of the square footage of a school. You made a great point re holding different sessions. We have seen schools with small facilities hold morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend classes and have very large enrollments. Great idea, Susan
I too believe if you stager schedules it may work as well as morning, afternoon and evening courses, you can also offer weekend courses. This is very popular for those who work. Satalite campuses or didviding a very large classroom would work to, just be sure to adhere with fire codes.
At times we found it possible to rent space from
hotels close to us. For a long term arrangemnet they could provide competetive pricing, even with
some services built in.
For a longer term need, mobile class rooms could be another possibility!
Hello Paul,
What has your experience been with mobile class rooms? I see trailers at some schools that need temporary space but don't know who is the best to use. I'm sure there are zoning issues in addition to building codes that must be complied with in the city or county.
Hi Chris, Looks like you've defined the question and also provided some good answers. The question is why trailers are used, zoning issues, and what your regulatory bodies have to say. Are trailers considered a satellite classroom or just part of the building you already occupy? We haven't seen the issue of trailers come up before. So please provide more information. Thanks, Susan
Our enrollment has grown over 300% during the past 5 years. Were able to lease adjacent buildings, offer morning, mid-day and evening classes. Also, in areas where we have limited classroom or lab space, we split classes (33% perform lab work, 33% perform class work and 34% perform research on the internet or resource center). We are now considering offering weekend classes to free up more space during the week.
Hi John, I think we would all like to know your secret of growing your school 300%! It is amazing how many students can comfortably fit into existing space when you realize that classes can be offered 7 days a week. In fact, mny students welcome evening, weekend, and online schedules. Some schools open satellite classrooms. This is where you determine where most students come from and then set up classrooms in those areas. Other schools find extra space in the building or shopping centers where they currently lease. Another thought is to measure the expected increase in enrollments and plan space accordingly.There are many options. Thanks, Susan
Our school has maximized square footage by holding two classes at the same time and trading lecture and lab classes at the midpoint of the day. This model has increased our hours for instructors and cut back on the need for physical space and supplies.
Kara,
It sounds like a creative way to deal with space needs. Another is to identify time in the day and week when nothing is happening - when classrooms are dark. Believe it or not, we know a school offering classes at midnight! The reason is that in their town many people work a night shift. They are still wide awake when they get off at midnight and ready to attend a class. It has been very successful and people have new opportunities for improvement thanks to the flexibility of the school. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
