Educators are typically not experts in security and law enforcement and sometimes question which type of approach is best for providing security and/or law enforcement staffing for schools and special events. There are numerous approaches, ranging from un
Schools also need to do their homework on all of the elements of building or renovating green sustainable sites, water and energy efficiency, protection of natural resources, use of recycled and re-used materials, and the protection of indoor envir
Our current economic climate has affected numerous areas in education, including libraries. Districts have less money to go around, but their libraries may find some relief through money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Sure price matters, but it's not the most important factor when making furniture purchases. Purchasing managers keep a lot of different balls in the air when deciding what to get and from whom. If your school is buying in the future, here are some fa
While change can be challenging, it also brings with it an opportunity for advancement and an air of excitement. With many alternatives for expansion whether it's a new building, addition, renovation, or combination it's best to ex
Video analytics enables video surveillance systems to look for and report suspicious activity occurs. Complex mathematical formulas underpin the video analytic software applications that can identify and track objects, offering powerful capabilities to co
I do not know how many Astroturf or similar playing fields are still in existence, but the original enthusiasm has declined, in part because of the hardness of the playing surface. But the problem that Astroturf seemed to solve the overuse and dete
They say a cluttered desk reflects a cluttered mind. We can also say that a cluttered janitorial closet may reflect a custodial crew that is disorganized, lacks efficient training, and is generally unprofessional. Further, a messy closet can cause a lot o
As storage technology evolves rapidly and is paralleled by what is proving to be an insatiable demand for stored information, institutions must tread very carefully. Short-term decisions will inevitably have a compounding effect. Planning and policies are
The technology for effectively cleaning carpets and rugs has been in place, or so it might be assumed, for many decades. However, in 2000, the Dalton, GA-based Carpet and Rug Institute, Inc., responding to customer complaints, made some startling discover
I may be a little biased when it comes to supporting music and the arts, but with good reason. I spent my happiest (and most productive) days in college as a part of a performing group, the I-Uppers. Our director, Leonard DeFabo (head of IUP's psycho
From time to time, campus officials have been attacked in their offices, on campus grounds, or in campus parking areas. Some of these attacks relate to angry students, employees who have been terminated or suspended, attacks by animal rights extremists, o
Video analytics systems make security officers proactive. The technology sees potential safety or security problems as they take shape and alerts a security officer who evaluates the situation and decides to intervene or not. It transforms video surveilla
It's a story as old as new furniture itself
what to do with the old stuff. Throwing away perfectly good furnishings doesn't make sense, so the shabbies get handed down and down and down until they end up in the maintenance department. Ther
Schools are no longer equipped with the old gun where you pull the lever and hear bells ringing all over. Instead, today's schools are outfitted with technology-rich public address systems, intercom systems, and clocks that keep lines of communicatio
As our culture embraces the concept of reuse or recycling in its many forms, it is only appropriate to focus on how some school districts have tapped the creativity of board members, architects, and/or planners to restore, renovate, or rebuild some their
It would appear that specifying flooring for an athletic facility would be a snap: hardwood floor for the gymnasium, resilient for the entryway and hallways, rubber for the exercise rooms. Well, appearances can be deceiving. The truth is, there are a lot
After adding everything from selecting suppliers to automating the process and recovering costs on the invoice side, integrated e-procurement efforts find savings of anywhere between five to 20 cents of every dollar. It adds up to significant dollars on t
Our current economic climate has affected numerous areas in higher education, including libraries. Private donors may be giving less to institutions, and often states have less money to offer to institutions. College and university libraries may find some
It's time we take an honest look at the factors that got us to this point. But in the meantime, we need to stop pointing fingers and start taking action. I had high hopes for the economic stimulus package, but as of this writing I'm not all that
The paradoxical problem of communicating in gymnasiums is that when the message is loud enough to be heard, it's often too loud to be understood. The right design, with appropriate balances of reflective and absorbent materials, could eliminate acoustic p