NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education

Accessibility is not limited to issues of mobility or other physical attributes. An accessible campus is mindful of students’ dietary distinctions, neurodiversity, and the varying ways individuals prefer to connect and engage with others.

The accessible campus features loud and quiet spaces, places for crowds and places for solitude, opportunities for celebration, and opportunities for personal reflection. Student centers, residence halls, community gathering spaces, athletic and recreational facilities, and labs and classrooms are all venues in which accessibility is key.

Read full report:

Spacing It Right: Designing Higher Education Institutions for Student Success Our learning opportunities include conferences of all sizes, online content delivered live and on-demand, and courses to explore a topic in-depth.

Tomorrow is your last chance to register for the 2026 M. Ben Hogan Small Colleges and Universities Institute! If you want to make a big impact on your small campus, now is the time.

This institute is tailored specifically to senior student affairs leaders. You will exchange ideas in expert-led sessions and discuss challenges drawn from your own campus context.

Join us at Sarah Lawrence College and be ready to build lasting professional connections and explore innovative strategies with peers who truly understand your unique working environment.

Register here: https://hubs.ly/Q04l6K660

📍 Sarah Lawrence College | Bronxville, NY (just outside of New York City)
📅 June 21-24, 2026

The most useful research doesn't stay in the theoretical—it maps directly to the physical footprint of the campus. "Spacing It Right" highlights several institutions where intentional design is yielding real-world results:

The University of Utah’s Lassonde Studios demonstrates how the integration of living, making, and social spaces can drive sustained student engagement and entrepreneurial learning.

Ringling College of Art and Design’s Cunniffe Commons has become the new heart of campus where students, faculty, and staff come together daily not just for food but for connection and respite, to study, and to see and be seen.

Blue Ridge Community College’s Patton Building is accessible and inclusive, supporting diverse learners throughout their educational journey.

Read full report:

Spacing It Right: Designing Higher Education Institutions for Student Success Our learning opportunities include conferences of all sizes, online content delivered live and on-demand, and courses to explore a topic in-depth.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐀 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐀𝐢𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬!
An unexpected expense of $500 or less shouldn’t force a student to pause their education. We’re proud to celebrate the recipients of the 2026 TIAA Emergency Aid Microgrant, administered by NASPA.

The 2026 Emergency Aid Microgrant recipients include:
• Allegany College of Maryland
• Coastal Bend College
• Doane University
• Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
• Montclair State University

This year’s TIAA Emergency Aid Microgrant Initiative recognizes and awards five higher education institutions with $10,000 in financial support given directly to students, helping them address urgent needs such as housing, food, and transportation. These institutions are leveraging microgrants to maximize the impact of emergency aid programs and basic needs support to advance student persistence and success.

Through our engagement with these five campuses, NASPA is deepening our understanding of the landscape of emergency aid programs and what tailored support is needed for members leading this work.

Learn more about the TIAA Emergency Aid Microgrant Initiative: https://bit.ly/3RNBtBN

We’re already counting down the days until we can all get together again.

Come join thousands of your peers in beautiful National Harbor, Maryland, for the 2027 NASPA Annual Conference (March 6–10, 2027)!

This is your opportunity to connect with peers and dive into timely sessions focused on the most pressing topics in our field, including:

☑️ The business of student affairs
☑️ Navigating the human-digital continuum
☑️ Adapting with purpose and agency

Want to get the best deal? Register by June 30, 2026, to secure advanced registration rates.

🔗 Secure your spot today: https://bit.ly/4u70tBF

Designing educational spaces is about more than material efficiencies—it is about creating environments where students feel included, secure, and engaged while experiencing community.

By addressing inclusion, fostering engagement, and nurturing community, institutions can create transformative learning conditions that leave a lasting impact.

Campuses that achieve this balance distinguish themselves as places of purpose, connection, and success and ensure that all students can thrive in their learning experience.

Read full report:

Spacing It Right: Designing Higher Education Institutions for Student Success Our learning opportunities include conferences of all sizes, online content delivered live and on-demand, and courses to explore a topic in-depth.

If a first-generation student walked through campus today with fresh eyes, what would the physical environment communicate to them?

The Spacing It Right report offers a 12-attribute checklist to evaluate whether a space is truly optimized for student success. A well-designed environment should be:

1. Proximate
2. Welcoming
3. Accessible
4. Inclusive
5. Functional
6. Sociopetal
7. Flexible
8. Aesthetic
9. Reflective
10. Regenerative
11. Distinctive
12. Sustainable

No single space can check every box, but the gaps in these attributes often reveal the gaps in the student experience.

Read full report: https://bit.ly/4drJAv3