What makes a residence hall a healthy place to live and learn? When creating student living environments, campuses must adopt a holistic view of how building elements impact the physical and emotional health of the students living there.
Whether building student lifestyle housing, a university classroom, a wellness center, or a performing arts theatre, there are practical sustainable/green solutions that won't break the bank and could save you and your community resources and
Your campus cards already do so much. They identify your students; let them into their residence halls and classrooms; and allow them to make copies, do laundry, and buy meals from the commons. Some schools have taken it one step further by inviting local
When evaluating campus safety and crisis plans almost every week, one cannot help but note certain patterns. One concern I have developed in reviewing hundreds of these plans over the years is the use of language that could be interpreted as a promise to
Furniture provides the crucial element for today's higher education pedagogy. What does your school need to know about your classroom furniture program? Jack Bullo, AIA, principal, Harley Ellis Devereaux national education studio, explains the new pa
In order to furnish a cutting-edge facility, it's important to find a vendor that can supply custom solutions.
Mention the word "green" today and people often think of environmental responsibility. Green is also the color of our nation's paper money, and the mechanical systems department staff at St. Norbert's College in De Pere, WI, have found
Many colleges are turning to continuous improvement approaches that manage costs while protecting and even improving facilities. These approaches, however, require an investment in facilities program expertise and resources that go beyond the in-house cap
Time is of the essence when disaster looms. Weather-related tragedies and terrorist activities of the past decade have created increased demand from public and private stakeholders for a reliable means of communicating critical information to large groups
Some analysts consider netbooks to be merely small, cheap, and underpowered laptops. But that dismissive regard fails to recognize the most important point about netbooks: they are designed to be small and highly portable computers. That's one of the
Anonymous hotlines play an important role in campus security, even if no one actually uses them.
One institution taking steps to integrate sustainability into its curriculum to better prepare students for green building jobs is Edison State College in southwest Florida. Edison State was recently awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for $
Not all campus furniture and furnishings live a comfortable, indoor life, protected from wind, snow, dirt, rain, mud, and one of the most unpredictable forces of nature students.
By the end of last school year, swine flu and its effects had made a full circle through the news. Schools quickly set plans in place to deal with a possible pandemic, a vaccine was put in the works, and then everyone went on summer break. With a vaccine
As today's urban colleges and universities rethink their place in the city, they shift their mindset from their own narrow needs to the greater public interest. They move from scientific enclaves to drivers of public agendas with great force. Accordi
Despite the recession, many colleges and universities have building and renovation projects planned or in progress. But, are the recession and shrinking budgets affecting the choices institutions make in these projects?
Space management involves efforts to improve human supervision through placement of legitimate activities in an area of risk or, more commonly, through simply locking doors. Unlocked and unoccupied spaces on higher education campuses create opportunity fo
We are accustomed to wireless coverage, particularly for cell phones, that works well almost anywhere at anytime. However, there are still many areas where coverage is spotty, and college and university campuses are not immune. One solution is to install
As you think about strategically positioning your presidency and your institution for regional leadership and beyond, consider ways in which your new alliances will add value, especially for alumni. How can you capitalize on potential partnerships to incr
Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology is a software-based approach to building design that incorporates 3D data, performance data, and more. BIM is not new technology. It is, however, just now "rising to the consciousness of a substantial nu
Residence hall amenities include laundry and kitchen facilities, but where are they, and who maintains them?
In light of the turbulent economy, schools are finding it necessary to reduce or even slash budgets in order to achieve their mission. When an institution's budget is examined for cost-saving possibilities, the M&O budget is one are
Institutions are realizing that paper messages simply don't work any longer when it comes to reaching this next generation of students. Enrollment numbers reflect more and more how well you embrace technology.
Perhaps the most difficult task of converting campus furniture to a universal design is grasping exactly what that term means in the first place. Universal design isn't something you can own or define in a strict contextual sense.
The selection of a systems integrator is critical. As a key player in security operations/management, you want to be certain to make the right choice. Given the short- and long-term implications of the decision, it's in your best interests to follow
Colleges and universities across the country and around the globe are finding that it is easy being green when they integrate ecologically sensitive practices into daily campus life. Protecting and conserving natural resources and learning from tho
Choosing the right building envelope involves taking many variables into consideration. Ease and cost of construction, the time frame allowed, the desire for energy efficiency, and even the construction season all come into play. Depending on your school&
In the midst of challenges, information technology organizations have unprecedented opportunities to make a difference for their institutions. Responsibilities and opportunities to do so can be grouped into three categories, with accompanying examples.
Sustainability starts with one idea think blue to be green. In other words, ask yourself: will the choices I make have a positive or negative effect on rain and its aftermath?
NIMS/ICS is changing the way the nation operates, reaching beyond first responders, emergencies, and disasters. Furthermore, post-Virginia Tech and other tragedies, there will be almost no public tolerance for neglecting NIMS/ICS. College and university e
In recent years, professors and administrators have brought technology into a larger role in the college classroom, perhaps in response to what students use outside their classrooms to keep up with classwork and their friends. A closer look at what happen
Tough economic times have created an opportunity for many private colleges and universities to get creative while helping their students out. Schools across the nation are trying new programs and ideas that put their students' financial and educational ne
It's common knowledge that schools need to spend more dollars upfront on a project in order to save money over the life of a facility, but current economic realities may send this line of thinking to the back burner. Are schools forsaking long-term s
Any institution of higher learning that fails to invest appropriate fiscal resources, time, and most importantly, an appropriate level of priority to these areas is quite simply not as good a school as it should and could be. If student, staff, and visito
Selecting carpet or tile isn't as easy as specifying the best material when it comes to residence hall flooring.
In an effort to save undergraduates time and money, some colleges are now offering students a three-year bachelor's degree. While popular in Europe, very few U.S. higher-ed institutions offer this choice to their students. We explore why one college decid
Founded in 1824, Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson Medical College is the largest private medical school in the United States. When the college decided to add a new building to its urban campus, the administration needed to make definitive design choic
Across the country, colleges and universities are installing mass notification systems to inform their campus communities about emergencies, as well as more routine problems such as closings due to inclement weather. Systems run the gamut from easy-to-lea
Drexel University's Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento, CA, which opened in January 2009, is a story about the wisdom of careful planning and the role that technology played and will continue to play in fulfilling the Center's educational
I have been surprised by the facilities organizations that also pay little attention to their outside assets, with the common exception of flower beds. Parking lots receive special attention because they are often considered auxiliaries. Otherwise, we ten