Signage systems on college and university campuses communicate explicitly, implicitly and importantly. Devising such systems can also be opportunities to fortify relationships on and around campuses.
Spectacular? not particularly. Important? No doubt. Maintenance and operations (M&O) buildings of various sizes and types are workplaces for key K-12 district workers. Inevitably, those buildings must be renovated and new ones constructed. What are so
If you have doubts about the signs in your schools currently, or if you are planning signs for a new school, here's how to think about the art and science of signs.
- By Michael Fickes
- 08/01/12
From a planning and management perspective few things are worse than a building that consumes way more energy than expected. Energy modeling programs can take some of the mystery out of your building stock's performance and help you meet LEED standar
When we talk to our students about sustainable cooking, it really encompasses a wide range of ideas, including food production, transportation, energy/water consumption, and waste disposal. Anything we can do in culinary schools to address one or more of
- By Christopher Koetke
- 08/01/12
Even with budget considerations, snow and ice management on your campus must be examined with the overall goal in mind; maintaining a safe environment for pedestrians and vehicles, allowing people to go about their daily lives, and limiting risk. Before g
Printers and copiers do a lot more than output documents. They can eat up resources when poorly managed or offer an all-in-one solution when properly purchased. Print infrastructure is changing, as administrators look for alternatives and providers that c
- By Danielle Przyborowski
- 08/01/12
The election will provide some distinct choices for voters on education policy, investment and support of education programs, and how dollars will be structured and delivered to states and districts. This goes for both the presidential and congressional r
- By Fritz Edelstein
- 08/01/12
As state funding for public postsecondary education has declined, tuition has risen, and increasing numbers of students can only attend college by taking out enormous loans. Those who cannot qualify for loans cannot afford college. By 2020, says the Labor
- By Michael Fickes
- 08/01/12
The SRO is the positive image of police for our young people. The value of our youth seeing police in a positive light at such an early age is beneficial for the future, and hopefully we are teaching our kids and young adults to have a greater respect for
Student centers function as the campus heart with lively places for dining, lounging, meeting, and playing games. They're often described as the "third place" in a student's everyday life (other than work and home). While these spaces
The ability of any staff member in a school to implement the lockdown process during the first critical 30 seconds of an event no matter which employee becomes aware of the threat, where they are in the school or the nature of the threat is
When classes end for the summer break, the facility director and custodial staff race to get the carpet, vinyl tile, concrete, rubber and other kinds of flooring across the district back in shape for next year, which, of course, is only a couple months aw
- By Michael Fickes
- 07/01/12
The ability of any staff member in a campus facility to initiate the lockdown process during the first critical 30 seconds of an event no matter which employee becomes aware of the threat, where he or she is on campus, or what the nature of the threat req
And with much, and varying, activity in bustling school libraries, comes a considerable amount of wear and tear to furniture. Issues such as budgetary constraints and changes in how school libraries are being used complicate the process of replacing that
Colleges and universities can make a positive difference by having detailed plans and policies in place, working with members of the campus and surrounding communities, and identifying potential flare-ups. All can work hand-in-hand with those one-on-one i
While the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) narrowbanding mandate may seem like one more bothersome chore, some school officials view it as a way to upgrade safety and security across the district.
- By Michael Fickes
- 07/01/12
"Crises can come and go, whether that means hurricanes, fires, or hostile intruders," says Greg Krikorian, Lebanon Valley's vice president for student affairs and dean of students. "At the end of the day, whatever the issue, we need to
Successful school safety preparedness means looking ahead to what could happen, then figuring out how to deal with it. That's how foreknowledge is gained. While some people live in denial of the dangers schools face, those whose duty is to protect ou
- By Stephen C. Satterly
- 07/01/12
Providing a high-quality educational experience for a diverse group of students, meeting academic goals, and staying within budget means that administrators, campus planners, and architects need to optimize new construction projects and maximize existing
- By Jeffrey Fenimore
- 07/01/12
Like a complex problem, designing the Forum required collaboration, conversation and concentration. The science department knew exactly what it did not want: predictable or distracting hallways or public space. Critical listening and design dialogue allow
- By Peter J. Exley, Sharon Exley
- 07/01/12