Stanford
StanfordNext

How StanfordNext Is Being Shaped

StanfordNext is being shaped by the main themes consistently raised by community stakeholders, the university’s assessment of its long-term needs, and key priorities adopted to align the process with Stanford’s mission. Together, these considerations are leading to a long-term plan and land use application for the Stanford campus that will enable the university and the region to succeed together in the pursuit of supporting the next generation of teaching and research.

The Inputs Behind StanfordNext

Community & Stakeholder Input + Stanford’s Long-Term Needs Assessment + Stanford’s Key Priorities = StanfordNext

 

Stanford's Needs Assessment & Key Priorities

Stanford’s Long-Term Needs Assessment

Before beginning the StanfordNext planning process, Stanford spent several years analyzing its long-term housing and academic space needs. That work involved input from university leadership, staff, faculty, schools, and departments to understand the space available on campus, the needs of the greater university, and the facilities required to support teaching, research, housing, student life, and daily campus operations. The needs assessment also considered the constraints and tradeoffs involved in planning for the next generation of the campus, including how to balance academic priorities, housing needs, infrastructure, sustainability, transportation, campus character, and community impacts.

Stanford's Key Priorities

As the idea of developing a plan for the next generation of Stanford’s campus was being conceived, four buckets of priorities related to the university’s space planning were identified. These priorities have provided crucial direction for how and where to focus the results of the needs assessment, helping Stanford identify the areas of greatest importance while leaving room for community feedback to inform how the plan is shaped:

  • Enabling Frontier Science & Innovation
  • Advancing a World-Class Sustainability School
  • Increasing Access to a Stanford Education
  • Supporting Our Community

Our Outreach & Engagement Process

The StanfordNext team has spent more than eighteen months listening and relationship building with campus stakeholders, neighboring communities, staff and elected officials from city and county governments, and influential leaders within non-profit and community-based organizations.

Rather than waiting to share a completed proposal, Stanford has been working to earn trust with this broad set of stakeholders by listening to their priorities, asking questions, and delving into concerns. This information has shaped development of the application by pressure testing key elements, and helping us refine our engagement approach, including: 

  • The creation of a 22-person StanfordNext Advisory Council, which has met regularly to discuss major planning topics, including housing and transportation.
  • Six open houses in Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, and on campus to engage stakeholders and receive input.
  • Focus group sessions and a comprehensive regional community survey with residents from Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
  • Listening sessions with Stanford faculty, staff, and students.
  • Briefings with local elected officials and government staff.
  • On-demand presentations with community organizations, regional stakeholders, university leadership, schools, and Stanford affiliates.

What We’ve Heard & How We’re Responding

Altogether, this outreach has generated thousands of comments, questions, and data points that are helping shape StanfordNext. Several themes have appeared consistently:

We heard infill growth on campus is broadly supported — when its benefits and tradeoffs are clear.

So we’re committed to creating physical spaces needed to educate future leaders and advance research and innovation, while ensuring supporting infrastructure.

We heard traffic congestion and transportation impacts are major concerns.

So we’re committed to no increase in commute trips to and from campus, and exploration of pedestrian and bicycle improvements, transit and shuttle strategies, and other mobility solutions.

We heard that sustainability is expected, but that people want to know whether utilities, open space, and campus character can responsibly support proposed growth.

As a result, we’re approaching StanfordNext as a framework for pairing new housing and academic facilities with sustainable infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and preservation of the qualities people value most about the campus.

We heard that providing affordable housing is the defining challenge and the central opportunity.

So we’re committed to new affordable housing that can address a range of affordability needs, serve the Stanford community, and help reduce housing pressure in the region.

We heard that engagement is valued and expectations for follow-through are high.

As a result, we’re committed to robust engagement and transparency to inform our application and build stronger relationships across the region.

Learn More About StanfordNext