Class Specifications - E.10
Principal Planner - 6966
Senior Planner - 6967
Associate Planner - 6968
Assistant Planner - 6969

March, 1973

Series Concept

Planners conduct and coordinate the physical planning and development of University property and its environs; represent and promote the University's interests with outside agencies; and perform other related duties as required.

Incumbents typically review physical planning for the campus and its environs including land use distribution, circulation, parking, and arrangements of buildings and open spaces; review proposals and changes in officially proposed or adopted environs plans and assist in preparing pertinent official University responses; represent the University and promote the University's interest with local and regional governing bodies, planning commissions, and citizens' groups; conduct surveys, maintain basic data, prepare reports, drawings, and displays relating to campus and environs development; define and suggest policies, principles, and standards relating to planning and development of campus environs; work with government agencies to develop land use and design control methods for campus environs; maintain surveillance over annexation and incorporation policies and proceedings affecting campus environs; assist in the formulation of corporate or administrative means for planning and developing housing, commercial and industrial uses and other normally private functions in relation to the campus; advise campus planning committees and campus and University-wide administrative officers on planning matters; prepare and/or review changes in long range development plans; and prepare and/or review site selection studies and site development programs, projects and presentations.

Class Concepts

Principal Planner

Under general direction, incumbents assist the Campus Architect and campus and/or University-wide administrative officers in planning, organizing, supervising and/or performing the work of the professional planning staff engaged in the physical and community planning function; have primary responsibility for representing the University to local, regional, and area governing bodies and planning commissions or boards; perform the most difficult professional work in the development, revision, refinement and/or amplification of long range development plans; and act as technical experts in campus planning and community planning problems relating to the University, at either the campus or University-wide levels of administration. Principal level assignments typically include responsibility for the supervision of Associate or Assistant Planners and/or Associate or Assistant Landscape Architects. Non-supervisory assignments at the principal level are reserved for specialists who are widely recognized and consulted by University staff members for their expert knowledge of campus and community planning and carry major responsibility for representing the campus and/or University-wide administration in community and governmental relationships.

Senior Planner

Under direction, incumbents assist the Campus Architect and campus and/or University-wide administrative officers in planning, organizing, supervising and/or performing the work of the professional planning staff engaged in the physical and community planning function; perform difficult professional work in the development, revision, refinement and/or amplification of long range development plans; and act as a technical specialists in campus planning and community planning problems relating to the University.

Senior level assignments typically carry responsibility for the campus planning function, where the volume and complexity of the function do not require a subordinate staff and/or where the Campus Architect exercises considerable personal direction over the planning function.

Associate Planner

Under direction, incumbents perform all or many of the duties indicated for the series under the Series Concept. This is the full professional level at which incumbents are expected to operate rather independently in the campus planning and site development phases of major construction projects. Supervision over such positions is usually exercised by a Senior or Principal Planner.

Examples of assignments allocated to this level of difficulty and responsibility are:

  • Staff planner for major planning studies, such as circulation and parking requirements, academic building locations, student housing requirements, and utility distribution systems.
  • Staff planner for development and continuance of the campus long range development plan, with responsibility for collection, analysis, and evaluation of planning data and for preparation and presentation of statistical and graphic supporting material.

Assistant Planner

Under general supervision, incumbents perform professional work relating to long range development plans; provide assistance in campus planning and on community planning problems relating to the University; and assist in the conduct of planning studies. This class is the entry level class for professional planning work. Assignments at this level are expected to be of moderate difficulty and responsibility, with work subject to review and checking. Incumbents typically are expected to progress to the class of Associate Planner.

Examples of assignments allocated to this level of difficulty and responsibility are:

  • Assistant to the Senior or Principal Planner in the design and conduct of planning surveys, collecting and maintaining basic data, and preparing reports, drawings and displays relating to current and proposed campus and environs development.
  • Assistant to the Senior or Principal Planner in reviewing proposals and changes in officially proposed or adopted environs plans.

Minimum Qualifications

Principal Planner

Graduation from college with major work in city planning, architecture, landscape architecture, or civil engineering plus a Master's degree in city planning at a recognized planning school, and five years of professional experience in city planning (or urban renewal) and large-scale site planning; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Senior Planner

Graduation from college with major work in city planning, architecture, landscape architecture, or civil engineering plus a Master's degree in city planning at a recognized planning school and four years of professional experience in city planning (or urban renewal) and large-scale site planning; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Associate Planner

Graduation from college with major work in city planning, architecture, civil engineering, traffic engineering, or other planning-related fields and four years of professional experience in city planning (or urban renewal) and large-scale site planning; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Assistant Planner

Graduation from college with major work in city planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, traffic engineering, or other planning-related fields and two years of professional experience in city planning (or urban renewal) and large-scale site planning; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Note: Graduate work in city or regional planning at a recognized planning school may be substituted for work experience on a year-for-year basis for the Assistant and Associate Planner.