Technology (Innovations for Education)
The concept of shared services has become a popular topic of discussion as colleges and universities strive for increased efficiency.
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
How much access control is enough for a college or university campus? Do you need electronic access control in the first place?
Facilities (Campus Spaces)
Healthy, sustainable grounds can greatly impact the overall quality of campus life for everyone. The best ways to create such a landscape however are as varied as the plants that inhabit them.
- By Brandon Barrett
- 01/01/14
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
School safety can often evoke images of cold cement buildings. Many schools are now trying to strike a balance that allows students and staff to be safe, but also one that is warm and welcoming.
Facilities (Learing Spaces)
The entire Fullerton community had reason to celebrate when the new Sensory Garden was installed at Commonwealth Elementary School. Both its great opportunities for learning and its incredible story make the garden a truly special place.
- By Jess Block Nerren
- 01/01/14
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
Deferred Maintenance can cost schools many times what the initial repair charges might’ve been. With school infrastructures growing older and budgets slimmer, the question of when to defer maintenance costs is critical.
- By Michael Fickes
- 01/01/14
Facilities (Campus Spaces)
Spring preventive maintenance is so much more than crossing items off a checklist. Here, three facility managers share their perspectives on delivering preventive maintenance excellence.
Technology (Enhancing + Engaging + Connecting)
When planning any change in classroom technology, the details can make all the difference. This is especially true for schools installing cloud-based services. Knowing what you’re getting now can save headaches later.
- By Steve Thorburn, PE, LEED AP, CTS-D, CTS-I
- 01/01/14
In a world dominated by smartphones and Google, students are relying on a new host of tools to find the answers to some of life’s biggest questions.
- By Brandon Barrett
- 12/01/13
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
Chipping away at energy costs.
The Bipartisan Budget Act passed the House and will pass the Senate and become law before adjourning. There was no interest by the conference committee to a long-term grand bargain that could have included reforms to entitlement programs and taxes. The agreement addresses short-term spending or immediate budget needs.
- By Fritz Edelstein
- 12/01/13
Fire & Life Safety (Focus on Preparation and Prevention)
After a recent fire sprinkler activation on a food-service line, there was a review of what caused the sprinkler to activate. The activation was not due to a fire or a problem with the sprinkler head. It was determined that the sprinkler activated due to misplaced equipment under the hood.
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
Round one: Checklists. Round two: Scenarios
Business (Managing Higher Ed)
Facilities (Campus Spaces)
Higher education marketing encourages some students to make decisions that don’t match their goals, aptitudes and finances.
- By Charles Anzalone
- 12/01/13
Technology Planning & Management (Enhancing + Engaging + Connecting)
Building Blueprints (Facilities in Focus)
Creating learning spaces for a stem environment.
- By James T. Biehle
- 12/01/13
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
The forgotten component of the educational experience.
Fire & Life Safety
A lesson learned from a close call. Recently, a fire sprinkler activated on a food service line. There was a review of what caused the sprinkler to activate. It was not due to a fire or a problem with the sprinkler head, but due to misplaced equipment under the hood.
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
- By Sherrie Negrea
- 12/01/13
College and universities should carefully consider their business plans to achieve successful results for today's nontraditional student population.
When you enter a room, what do you notice first? Chances are it’s the walls. Wallcoverings are one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to create design impact in a school.
Facilities (Campus Spaces)
- By Sherrie Negrea
- 11/01/13
Business (Managing Higher Ed)
- By David L. Damon, Julia McFadden
- 11/01/13
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
Simple solutions can enhance school safety.
- By Sarat Pratapchandran
- 11/01/13
Facilities (Campus Spaces)
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
Putting students and learning first in a daylight-enhanced environment.
- By Jean-François Couturier, Rick Malm
- 11/01/13
In The Know (Enhancing + Engaging + Connecting)
A look at the challenges facing a digital signage network in higher education.
- By Spencer Graham
- 11/01/13
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
- By Michael Fickes
- 11/01/13
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
Nurturing, teaching and promoting sustainability for future generations.
- By Sangeetha V. Karthik
- 11/01/13
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
Here's how one small school district schedules preventive maintenance.
Digital Classroom
Educators know that students learn at different paces and on varying levels, so alternative methods of instruction are beneficial. Audio/visual aids make learning entertaining and fun, and encourage students to pay attention because they are engaged and interested. When these aids are coupled with a well-spoken instructor, the possibilities to learn are endless.
The "deal" crafted by Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, and several senators from both parties passed both houses of Congress and was signed by the President, was a short-term fix. This is the reason for the revised title. The deal was not a fix but a temporary band-aid.
- By Fritz Edelstein
- 10/01/13
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
Researching, selecting, planning, installing and using today’s high-tech security systems in schools can be a daunting process. Technology aside, there’s also the human dimension. That is, how best to work with consultants, faculty and staff as that process unfolds?
Safety & Security (Prepare and Be Aware)
A look at the newer security technologies colleges and universities are considering and using on campus.
- By Michael Fickes
- 10/01/13
Business (Managing Higher Ed)
Nobody thinks of parking, until they need it. Then it's a chore. Technology promises to make finding and paying for a space easier, and might even convince drivers to take the bus.
This piece was very difficult to write. Influencing what was finally written were: too many false starts and stops to count; changes in strategy; different proposals and the real possibility of coming up with nothing. The shutdown and deficit ceiling part has been rewritten at least five times and this opening three different times.
Originally, the title for this piece was “Oh, No! Not Again, or To Be or Not to Be That is the Question,” for the ongoing shutdown, but there was a deal that ended the stalemate late on Wednesday, Oct. 16. However, the pain is not over, nor are the negotiations to solve all of the issues that forced the closure and the brink of not increasing the debt ceiling.
The “deal” crafted by Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, and several senators from both parties passed both houses of Congress and was signed by the President, was a short-term fix. This is the reason for the revised title. The deal was not a fix but a temporary band-aid.
- By Fritz Edelstein
- 10/01/13
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
It takes more than bricks, mortar and roofing materials to keep the heat (or cold) in and the rain out. Here's a look at what you need to know.
Facilities (Learning Spaces)
New school bus technologies are cutting costs, monitoring students, finding students for parents and more.
- By Michael Fickes
- 10/01/13