Higher education is facing enormous challenges. Diminishing financial support, heightened public accountability, prolonged economic recession, and numerous other issues confront our institutions. Competition is fierce, and the need for operational efficie
Those who will be successful are those who have stopped mourning for the old economy, stopped poking it with a sharp stick to see if it moves and started thinking about what can be done with what we now have. It is much like working through the five stage
In 1997, the "school of the future" Disney Development Corp.'s (DDC) Celebration School opened in Orlando. Thirteen years later, what lessons have been learned from the nationally recognized project, and how have they influenc
Taking bids for any type of product or service can be a harrowing experience for school facility managers. Some managers may not be well prepared for the process or may underestimate the steps involved. And, because many contractors require multi-year con
Preventive maintenance is an important subject in our business. With shrinking budgets we are often put in a position of deferring maintenance and pushing the cost down the road. This is not a preferred method, but it is often the option we choose due to
With academic funding cuts, and an emphasis on standardized testing crowding out creativity in the classroom, educators are finding an affordable, hands-on solution with solar-powered, robot-building kits, one example is the Mini Solar Kits, that encourag
Not long ago, the mantra was that the library should be at the center of the school. Not only should the library be at the center of the school, it should be large. The size and prominence of the library became the mark of the educational standing of the
Access control is no longer just about locking doors. Today, access control is about a total integration of equipment, technology and manpower. The buzzword these days is "convergence." Basically, this is the idea of tying electronic or physical
While technology evolves at light speed, buildings don't. Bringing school facilities in step with modern learning requires complex phased renovations, meticulously planned around academic calendars. Since educational continuity and safety are the chief co
In recent years, many college and university police and security organizations have changed or at least refined the way they monitor and manage access to campuses and campus buildings in an effort to improve crime prevention.
Effective access control systems in K-12 schools include technology and people. Depending on its risk profile, a school might employ electronic access control, visitor management technology, intrusion alarms and video cameras. But, as Timm observes, the b
The effects of stress on human performance are well documented and should be taken into account when developing emergency preparedness plans; conducting training sessions; and when planning, coordinating, and evaluating emergency drills and exercises.
If a building has been constructed or renovated using PCB-containing caulking, PCB impacts may not be limited to the caulking itself. Through natural mechanisms such as weathering, leaching, or deterioration, PCBs may be found in the materials adjacent to
A recent survey, conducted online by School Planning & Management, of people involved in maintenance, the upkeep and care of buildings and grounds, and administrators, provided some expected and unexpected results.
If you haven't been in an office lately, you may not realize the important benefits that multifunction printers (MFPs) offer when it comes to improving the bottom line, increasing efficiency and helping to meet sustainability objectives. For school a
Auxiliary services need to be more than budget-neutral these days, but what is the best way to turn a profit? Keeping them in-house? Outsourcing them to the pros? Or a hybrid of the two? Experts hash through the options
and the answers may surprise
Do more and do it with less. Manage more data and do it efficiently. Reduce waste to be more environmentally friendly without sacrificing quality. These are only a few of the challenges facing college and university administrators and staff. Enter the mul
In the past, education has been a bipartisan issue and people found a way to come to agreement on legislation. It is not clear that this will be the case in the 112th Congress with the Democrats in the majority in the Senate, the Republicans holding the m
Because we are so accustomed to hearing people engage in the art of exaggeration, we often don't worry when someone relates a minor disappointment and refers to it as a "complete and total disaster." Where school disaster planning and prepa
In the next few years, the work of the governors, our K-12 school systems and our institutions of higher education will be a challenge. Funding may be limited, but not American ingenuity or our desire to once again be number one in education.
A maintenance checklist for K-12 areas.