About Our Office
Mission
The Office of Space Planning & Management is charged with the stewardship of all campus spaces and to review, maintain and analyze spaces to assist University leadership and administrative units to use MSU space assets in an efficient yet flexible manner to support the mission of the university.
The Space Planning & Management team serves as a professional resource for space items for the entire MSU Bozeman campus and provides effective stewardship of the space inventory database, manages space requests, facilitates an annual space survey, conducts space audits, supports campus moves, and provides accurate and timely space inventory and utilization reports to inform decision-makers about short- and long-term space needs.
- Integrate space planning and management with the Montana State University Strategic Plan
- Balance utilization with flexibility when providing space recommendations to University decision makers
- Provide a transparent process for space decisions and deliver credible information regarding space allocation changes
- Identify strategies for space management and incorporate best management practices
- Allocate campus space assets based on space planning and management policies and procedures
- Manage MSU’s Space Use Guidelines and Annual Space Reports and assist in the application of this information
- Plan for existing and future space needs of MSU including academic, research and non-academic uses
Our office strives to provide the most accurate and timely space planning and management data information to the campus community. Our goal is to provide information that will better inform University decision making with regards to:
- Creating balanced solutions for office, research and academic environments
- Reducing the need for physical expansion of campus buildings;
- Improving space utilization, flexibility, functionality and reporting:
- Advancing utilization metrics and analytical techniques with other MSU offices
- Improving processes for space planning and governance;
- Creating transparent accessibility of space occupancy data.
FAQ
- Senior administration and faculty are required to be stewards of space resources and must be informed on space requests to ensure their respective units can function effectively within the space allocated to them.
- Costs are typically involved with a space request; therefore budgeting and funding tied to spaces and moves must be coordinated through the respective senior administration and faculty members.
- Once your Space Request is received by Office of Space Planning and Management (SPM), we will identify spaces that may fit your needs and review with you.
- The SPM is still in the process of developing a comprehensive database resource revealing vacant space sufficient for departmental needs on campus.
- The Office of Space Planning and Management (SPM) works in collaboration with the Space Management Committee (SMC).
- SPM prepares requests that are reviewed by the SMC.
- Requesters are given the opportunity to present to SMC; Requesters are not required to attend the SMC meeting but attendance is highly encouraged.
- Following review, a recommendation is made by SMC to the President for approval
- Space Management Committee (SMC) approves space requests by a majority vote. SMC may approve the request, approve the request with conditions or deny the request.
- The Office of Space Planning and Management prepares and presents the request to SMC.
- SMC decisions are based on what is best for the university and relies on the University Strategic Plan for guidance.