However, the physical standards of learning have changed, and educational programs have changed as well. All of the new standards improve the quality of education for students while drastically exacerbating existing shortages of space. The cost to construct new space to fill the need is prohibitive. The resulting reduction in measured classroom utilization created by new space also seems blatantly wasteful. The sensible way to meet this new demand is to closely examine the existing inventories.
Proper analysis reveals new possibilities for the reuse or recycling of current space.
Prior to the current scramble by many institutions to reinvent themselves in order to remain competitive, one segment had previously figured out this changing market's demands. The community colleges have always operated with a nimbleness that allowed the flexibility to alter or invent new programs to meet market demand. This higher standard now extends to the other 2,400 institutions of higher learning and it has had a profound effect. As the Business Communication Program expands and the Home Economics Program contracts, the space is altered and reused. Unfortunately, old space is not always easy to recycle.