Building on community insight: UND advances campus planning
Open forum set for Thursday, April 16, for campus to review progress and provide additional input
By Anna Clark
As the University of North Dakota continues its campus planning efforts, the process is moving into the next stage following a period of community input earlier this year.
The goal of the campus planning process is to help shape the future of UND’s physical campus. The next stage in planning is called the Ideate Phase, with “ideate” meaning “to form an idea or conception of.”
The Ideate Phase builds on feedback gathered during the Discovery Phase in February, when students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members were invited to share their experiences and perspectives on campus. That input is now being reviewed and organized to help inform the development of early planning concepts.
During the Ideate Phase, the planning team will work to translate those insights into a clearer direction for campus. This includes identifying priorities, exploring options, and considering how different elements of campus may evolve over time to support academic, research, and student life needs.
“The next phase of the campus planning process, the Ideate phase, will be focused on incorporating the feedback we have received from the UND community regarding the campus physical environment and aligning that with the vision, mission, and core values of the UND LEADS Strategic Plan,” said Brian Larson, director of construction management.
“It’s critical at this phase of the planning effort that we receive feedback, positive and critical, from the greater UND community to ensure that all ideas are vetted, a broad range of perspectives are considered, and ‘no stone left unturned’ as we develop a plan to shape the future of our campus.”
Building on Discovery Phase Input
The Discovery Phase included a range of engagement opportunities designed to gather broad input from across the UND community. Participants were asked to reflect on how they use campus spaces today, what is working well, and where there may be opportunities for improvement.
Common themes from that feedback are now helping to guide the next steps in the process. The Ideate Phase provides time to take a closer look at those themes and begin outlining potential approaches for addressing them.
“Over the last decade, the campus has witnessed multiple updates to academic buildings – changes that were a direct result of the last campus planning effort,” said Ryan Zerr, professor and department chair of Mathematics & Statistics and associate vice president for Strategy and Implementation.
“Given such a visible impact, ensuring broad participation in this year’s planning process will help establish the basis for a continuation of campus updates that meet the educational needs of the future.”
Open Forum Scheduled for April 16
The campus community will have an opportunity to learn more and provide additional input at the next Open Forum:
Thursday, April 16, 2026
1 – 2 p.m.
Nistler College of Business & Public Administration
Barry Auditorium, Room 110
During the session, campus planning consultants from Perkins & Will will present a summary of key insights gathered during the Discovery Phase. The presentation will be followed by an opportunity for attendees to engage directly with members of the planning team.
Interactive stations will be set up around several topic areas, including teaching and learning spaces, research environments, student areas, housing, mobility and open space, and community engagement. These stations will be staffed by students, faculty, and staff who are participating in working groups and the steering committee.
Attendees will be able to review information, ask questions, and share feedback related to each topic area. Input collected during the forum will help inform the development of planning concepts in the next stage of the process.
A livestream option will be available for those who are unable to attend in person.
In addition, the consultants from Perkins & Will will be on campus from April 15-17. During that time, they’ll meet with the campus-planning steering committee and workgroups, conduct additional building and campus tours, and host the Open Forum on April 16 as their main public-facing event.
“It is meaningful to see how student input is being considered as planning moves forward,” said Tanu Tallimani, a Commercial Aviation student.
“As students, we experience these spaces every day, so having a voice in how they change is important. Our feedback will help shape the campus experience for future students, making participation in the Open Forum especially important.”
Next Steps in the Process
Work completed during the Ideate Phase will contribute to the development of draft campus planning concepts, which will be shared in future phases of the project. Additional opportunities for input are expected as those concepts continue to be refined.
Members of the campus community are encouraged to stay informed and participate in upcoming engagement opportunities as the process continues.
For more information, or to provide feedback and ask questions, please visit the Campus Planning website.
About the author:
Anna Clark is director of Communications & Planning for UND’s Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
