Abstract

The Geospatial Centroid: Coordinating Geospatial Activities on a Spatially-Challenged Campus
Track: Education
Authors: Sophia Linn, Melinda Laituri

At Colorado State University in Fort Collins, GIS users are scattered across campus in myriad departments and disciplines. As spatial perspectives transcend any single discipline, the use of geospatial tools across campus reflects the varied breadth and application of these technologies. Increased coordination and improved efficiency of limited resources prompted the establishment of the Geospatial Centroid--a place to consolidate information on training, research, data and GIS/mapping services. The primary intention of the Centroid is to facilitate communication between different user groups and encourage cooperation among departments. However, situating the Centroid within the university's administrative structure, and securing the requisite ongoing support, presents unique challenges. A variety of possibilities and strategies will be presented and further discussion on common themes will be encouraged.