Anonymous
Post 08/02/2024 16:44     Subject: No construction?
This doesn't tell you that much. Fundraising, design, bids, permits, may take years to accomplish. Look at your college's capital improvement plan before you fret too much.

It took USC more than a decade to get one of its science buildings built.

Berkeley had to have the California Supreme Court to step in and build dorm.

It took Northeastern 5 years to get the city of Boston to approve a new high rise dorm after two decades of lawsuits.

Anonymous
Post 08/02/2024 16:19     Subject: No construction?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, many colleges don't have the land for new construction.

See if you can google the school's long range plan.

Generally, I'd consider no construction a blessing. Construction can be a pain and typically current students do not benefit much because new building takes a long time to complete. Example, one of my kids will start at a top school this fall. The main library is now under renovation for the next year or two. The main stadium was just knocked down. It would be worse where an old dorm is knocked down to build a new one if that temporarily reduces dorm space.


Name any good school and you'll see either new construction or major renovations most years. The schools doing neither are the ones having financial problems


This is interesting - maybe better than checking the Forbes bond ratings!

Those ratings seem ridiculous. Reed having an A+ score next to colleges like Caltech, which have a much healthier financial record than them is puzzling.

Reed has been in good financial health for a while now. Their grads are also moving more and more into the traditional elite school careers (read: Consulting)
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 21:29     Subject: No construction?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, many colleges don't have the land for new construction.

See if you can google the school's long range plan.

Generally, I'd consider no construction a blessing. Construction can be a pain and typically current students do not benefit much because new building takes a long time to complete. Example, one of my kids will start at a top school this fall. The main library is now under renovation for the next year or two. The main stadium was just knocked down. It would be worse where an old dorm is knocked down to build a new one if that temporarily reduces dorm space.


Name any good school and you'll see either new construction or major renovations most years. The schools doing neither are the ones having financial problems


This is interesting - maybe better than checking the Forbes bond ratings!

Those ratings seem ridiculous. Reed having an A+ score next to colleges like Caltech, which have a much healthier financial record than them is puzzling.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 21:20     Subject: No construction?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, many colleges don't have the land for new construction.

See if you can google the school's long range plan.

Generally, I'd consider no construction a blessing. Construction can be a pain and typically current students do not benefit much because new building takes a long time to complete. Example, one of my kids will start at a top school this fall. The main library is now under renovation for the next year or two. The main stadium was just knocked down. It would be worse where an old dorm is knocked down to build a new one if that temporarily reduces dorm space.


Name any good school and you'll see either new construction or major renovations most years. The schools doing neither are the ones having financial problems


This is interesting - maybe better than checking the Forbes bond ratings!
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 20:59     Subject: Re:No construction?
DC goes to Davidson and there hasn't been construction for two years, since there's a new president. Not sure what they would need to build anyway.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 20:36     Subject: Re:No construction?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. Are you concerned that your DC’s college isn’t building enough new buildings? What’s wrong with their current ones?

Buildings mean you have good financial health and donors are bringing in the money.
Not building=You're poor


Or you can just actually look at their financial status rather than trying to divine it from your perception of construction. They release financial reports that are audited every year, they get bond credit ratings, Forbes assigns a financial score etc. Capital projects can cost more than they bring in and can weaken financial standing.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 19:36     Subject: No construction?
I would be relieved to see a school not running in the rat race to build more and more. If it's small and it has a commitment to a certain size, and is landlocked as most colleges are, it should be spending its money on academics, financial aid, and student support. And maintaining the building stock they have in excellent condition, which often gets sacrified in the rush to build more.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 18:38     Subject: No construction?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Oddest measurement I’ve seen yet to determine the value of a college.

If you are looking for a top West Coast LAC with massive construction, just go to CMC if kid can get in.

Was your kid a Bob the Builder fan? Hoping they will let him have a go on a bulldozer for kicks?

I seriously do not understand.

Seriously OP must salivate over CMC, whose currently about to tear up half of their campus in an expansion effort. I think construction sucks-it's loud, almost never benefits you when you're a student, and can close off campus spaces.

That sounds like a nightmare, those poor students are going to see nothing but cranes for four years.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 18:32     Subject: No construction?
Anonymous wrote:Oddest measurement I’ve seen yet to determine the value of a college.

If you are looking for a top West Coast LAC with massive construction, just go to CMC if kid can get in.

Was your kid a Bob the Builder fan? Hoping they will let him have a go on a bulldozer for kicks?

I seriously do not understand.

Seriously OP must salivate over CMC, whose currently about to tear up half of their campus in an expansion effort. I think construction sucks-it's loud, almost never benefits you when you're a student, and can close off campus spaces.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 18:28     Subject: Re:No construction?
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. Are you concerned that your DC’s college isn’t building enough new buildings? What’s wrong with their current ones?

Buildings mean you have good financial health and donors are bringing in the money.
Not building=You're poor
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2024 18:28     Subject: No construction?
Oddest measurement I’ve seen yet to determine the value of a college.

If you are looking for a top West Coast LAC with massive construction, just go to CMC if kid can get in.

Was your kid a Bob the Builder fan? Hoping they will let him have a go on a bulldozer for kicks?

I seriously do not understand.