The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) and the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) selected Rickes Associates (RA) to conduct a utilization study of instructional space at 24 State and Community College campuses. The goal of this effort was to inform the vetting and prioritization of proposed capital projects and support the preparation of individual campus master plans for the entire system.

After quantitative and qualitative data-gathering that included campus visits, walk-throughs, and surveys, a standardized methodology for analysis was applied to the campus. The result was an assessment of how effectively each institution utilized its existing facilities and the quantity, type, and capacity of instructional spaces needed to accommodate then-current enrollment, programs, and pedagogy.

RA used these findings to identify variances between needed and then-existing space allocation and room usage patterns. The analyses, findings, and capital and non-capital recommendations for addressing these variances were combined in individual reports.

This analysis was followed up with the preparation of a series of space metrics, determining ASF per FTE for each space category at each public institution.