CAMPUS PLANNING
As higher education navigates continued change such as enrollment shifts, new funding models and rapid technological advances, campus planners play a critical role in aligning an institution’s academic, operational, financial and physical development goals into a cohesive strategy. SmithGroup’s integrated campus planning approach brings together these interconnected considerations to create actionable, future-focused plans. Through a collaborative, data-informed process, we help institutions build consensus around priorities and develop clear pathways for achieving their goals in an evolving educational landscape.
With an unwavering focus on student success, SmithGroup’s campus planning team is dedicated to advancing higher education environments of all types, including research institutions, regional comprehensive universities, community colleges, private liberal arts colleges and specialty-focused universities. Our services include campus planning, space utilization, precinct and district planning, design guidelines, landscape planning, and green infrastructure and resilience planning.
PROJECTS
University of Texas at Arlington, Campus Master Plan and Energy Transition Plan
Concurrently developing a master plan and energy transition plan allows UTA to pursue ambitious growth while reducing its environmental impact, transforming the entire campus into a living laboratory for sustainability innovation.
OUR TEAM
Our interdisciplinary team of planners, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers and architects bring a broad perspective to each engagement, helping institutions develop planning solutions that blend vision with realistic implementation considerations. This integrated approach results in strategic, creative and achievable solutions tailored to each institution’s mission, culture and long-term objectives.
LEADERSHIP
Lauren Leighty, Vice President, Campus Planning Studio Leader
Lauren leads SmithGroup’s nationally focused Campus Planning Studio. Her career is defined by serving as a trusted partner to higher education institutions, helping them plan for the future while addressing multi-layered and complicated challenges. Lauren enjoys giving back to the higher education and design communities through volunteerism on the University of Michigan’s Taubman College Alumni Council and the Landscape Architecture Foundation Board of Directors.
Doug Kozma, Vice President, Campus Planning Strategist
A registered landscape architect and campus planning strategist, Doug is a broad-scale problem solver. Endlessly curious, he studies the intersection of evolving policy changes and socio-economic trends and their impact on campus growth and repositioning. A Pennsylvania native, he has enjoyed living in three college towns: State College, Madison and currently, Ann Arbor.
John Perry, Senior Principal, Campus Planner
John works at all scales including large-scale campus planning efforts, precinct plans, and placemaking. He approaches each campus plan with the recognition that the institution has its own story, history and path for the future. The end results are plans that are inclusive and flexible, while strengthening the institution’s vision for the future. John’s work has received recognition from SCUP and the American Society of Landscape Architects. He served on the 2026 SCUP Excellence Awards jury.
CAMPUS PLANNING TEAM
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Reimagining Higher Education for the Next Generation
Nearly 3,000 public four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. serve over 15 million students, offering transformative experiences and economic opportunities. However, challenges like shifting demographics, declining enrollment and aging facilities are straining the current higher education model. Adapting to these changes is crucial for survival and success, requiring bold and proactive strategies.
Contact Us
Lauren Leighty
Vice President, Campus Planning Studio Leader
(734) 646-4312
lauren.leighty [at] smithgroup.com