Customer Story: Turning Facilities Data Into Strategic Decisions at Chapman University

Chapman University’s facilities operation touches nearly every aspect of campus life. As Vice President of Facilities Management, Rick Turner oversees a broad portfolio that includes far more than just property management. He describes his role as the university’s “fixer,” helping connect strategic priorities from senior leadership to the teams responsible for delivering results on the ground.

Like many institutions, Chapman faces ongoing pressure to make the most of available funding, particularly as higher education navigates enrollment challenges and increased competition. While the university benefits from having a relatively young campus infrastructure, Turner recognizes that larger renewal and replacement needs are on the horizon. Planning today for those future investments is essential.

For more than a decade, Chapman has relied on Gordian to support that planning process. The university began working with Sightlines in 2011 and continued the partnership when Gordian acquired the organization in 2014. Turner credits the continuity of the team and the seamless transition for maintaining momentum and ensuring long-term success.

Turner stated that Gordian has helped support their facilities and capital planning needs by giving them a single source of information and insight. He also said that the third-party perspective is especially valuable because data provides an objective view of reality and helps inform better decisions.

One of the biggest challenges facilities leaders face, according to Turner, is delivering the right information to the right audience. While facilities teams need detailed data, executive leaders and board members often need a higher-level view. Having trusted data and the ability to translate it into clear, actionable insights helps communicate priorities and build support for future investments.

Looking ahead, Turner sees even greater opportunity to leverage facilities data as technology evolves. His advice for the future of the partnership is simple: Keep the data coming.

In his own words, Turner stated that he wouldn’t change a thing about working with the Gordian team. He is looking forward to continuing to expand the data and support available to help plan for what’s next.