The Instructional Capacity Playbook

No equation (much less an untested guideline or set of benchmarks) can determine the ideal alignment of resources with institutional mission. Managing instructional capacity is as much a political problem as a logistical challenge.

Better data and strong faculty engagement can lead to more productive conversations about how to work with departments to respond to changes in student demand.

In many cases, an analysis of the data reveals the illusion of capacity constraints. Often the real problem is not an absolute scarcity of resources, it is lack of transparency around how resources are currently being utilized—and missed opportunities to realign resources with areas of greatest need.