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
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
Today's school officials often wish to achieve the best of two goals having solid security while maintaining a warm and caring human environment. These dual goals are actually often complimentary and can usually be accomplished with the right
What options are available for the rest of us? Most public schools have bare bones models, if that. Locker-related crises, usually involving contraband, have led some frustrated districts to toss the lockers altogether. Although such actions may be justif
Preparing for a pandemic influenza (panflu) outbreak is an extremely daunting task. It is essential that all school communities coordinate with other planning groups in preparation of a pandemic outbreak, and to establish operational protocols to help gui
More and more, we rely in technology for any but especially mass communication. And communication comes in many forms: between schools, between school personnel, between personnel and students, between school administrators/teachers and pare
Depending on the location of the application, the floor you choose for your school may need to meet specific safety, performance, or maintenance criteria. We'll examine some of the most widely used floors for educational settings, in order to guide y
It is common knowledge that when school budgets tighten, the maintenance department is first to feel the pinch. While cutting back on maintenance may seem to be a good economizer, teachers can't teach and students can't learn if the lights are o
Breaking a large high school into smaller ones is not easy. It must be done deliberately, with a philosophy and a long-range plan, and with the support of the faculty. If that is not done, there is a good chance that what is created will fall back into a
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
In NCLB's wake, much of the debate has focused on the instructional practices that will enable all students to meet the proficiency requirements by 2014. However, if this goal is to be realized, school districts must focus on how to ensure that appro
Integrated Cleaning and Measurement is a systematic approach to cleaning that entails using best practices to clean facilities and to measure the effectiveness of the cleaning program using a 21st century version of "the white glove" approach. I
Administrators, teachers, and students can spend an inordinate amount of time and frustration on getting updates for programs which were cutting edge yesterday and obsolete today; dealing with a bunch of different passwords and log-ins; trying to coordina
Since Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to reduce education cost, digital textbooks have been receiving quite a bit of buzz. We talked with Neeru Kholsa, co-founder of CK-12, about the changes and advantages digital textbooks bring to school districts.
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
These days, traditional scholastic requirements, such as fostering academic excellence and molding good citizens, now go head to head on the priority list with heightened security needs, diversity issues, and the need to brand and differentiate to compete
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