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The Presidential Search: Sticky Wickets

The perils and pitfalls of the search process could consume an entire volume, but based upon our experience as both candidates and search consultants, there are three common junctures at which the process often becomes derailed.

A Quick Look at the Presidential Candidates' Education Platforms

Election season is in full swing, with party conventions around the corner and nightly news analysis of the candidates' talking points. While being an informed voter is easier than before with instant access to information through the Internet, often

The Transformation of the Library

Gone are the days of independent study with a stack of books and a librarian who glares if you sneeze and hushes if you read out loud to yourself. Those days have been replaced with both small- and large-group collaboration and research from both books an

Does Your Preparedness Plan Have the Proper Voice?

While evaluating a campus preparedness plan for a client recently, I noticed a common problem. The plan was painstakingly developed with superb detail. But as I reviewed the action steps for each protocol, it became apparent that the voice of the plan cha

Arming Security on Campus

Colleges and universities across the nation have been making the decision to allow security officers to carry firearms. This month we talked with Bill Corner, Calvin College's campus safety director. Located in Grand Rapids, MI, Calvin College, will

School Districts Discover New Ways to Acquire Roofing

When it comes to roofing purchases, school administrators typically have two things to protect: the building envelope and the taxpayer pocketbook. The good news is that, for schools throughout the country, new delivery options are streamlining the roof pr

The Free E-Mail Express: Prime Features, Low Risk

Free! Robust e-mail platform that offers six gigabytes of storage space, familiar Web-based interface, integrated chat and calendar software, superior spam blocking and virus protection, no data backup necessary, and no hardware or software upgrades. All

Selecting ENS Systems

Most mid-sized and large public K-12 school systems and many independent K-12 schools have had some form of emergency notification system (ENS) in place for several years. Though some institutions of higher learning have also had these systems in place, m

Workforce Requirements Shape Future for Baldwin County

Enrollment in Baldwin County Public Schools is increasing. Along with this growth is a demand to produce a more skilled workforce. While there was agreement about a commitment to student achievement and the need to more tightly integrate career technical

Morgan State University: Taking Advantage of "Texting" on Campus

Baltimore's Morgan State University is positioning itself to meet this challenge by evaluating all marketing efforts and determining which are going to work and keep us within our budgets. One of the ways we are doing this is through the use of mobil

New Approaches to School Funding

If there is always a better way to build the proverbial mousetrap, does this extend to something as complex as building a school facility? One man who responds to a positive yes to this question is Stephen Swisher, AlA. As opposed to the traditional metho

Greening the Maintenance Arsenal

Maintenance professionals play a critical role in an institution's environmental program, and the procedures and tools at their disposal continue to evolve as new products and equipment — or improvements to existing offerings — become avail

A Concrete Solution

Precast has emerged as the effective and economical method to fulfilling the architectural needs and construction challenges of schools. From compressed construction schedules to reduced construction and operating costs to "green," healthy, and

Pods vs. Corridors

A school built around a pod design does not force a teacher to change methodology, but should he or she or the next teacher want to, the pod provides options and opportunities that corridors do not. Double-loaded corridors duplicate the past. Pods with co

Facts on the Hot Tin Roofs

Anything green grabs the headlines today, so it's no surprise manufacturers lead off the benefits list with metal roofs' earth-saving traits. The actual steel or aluminum itself is typically made from 60 percent recycled materials, according to

Reducing Health Concerns on Campus

Campus safety concerns extend beyond emergency communications and adequate lighting. Asbestos, lead, mold, and radon pose health risks that must be addressed and remediated.

Coping With Rising Fuel Costs on Campus

Fuel prices have been rising steadily in recent years, and these high prices have become a constant topic in the news, and even in our current Presidential election. This month we focused on solutions colleges and universities are employing to compensate

Managing Your Environmental, Safety, and Health Issues

The EPA's HealthySEAT software enables districts to track and manage information on environmental conditions in each school.

Schools Dealing With Rising Fuel Costs

With oil prices rising to over $130 dollars a barrel, fuel costs have become a significant concern for school districts' budgets.

Maintaining Facilities

The lack of priority that many districts place on maintenance has far reaching effects. The obvious is the deterioration of our buildings and equipment, or the voiding of warranties. The less obvious is the negative effect of building conditions on studen

Online University Programs: Opportunity or Competition?

Online university programs have the power to leverage the Internet to transcend distance and time constraints, providing new and expanded ways of teaching, learning, and collaboration on an international level. Unfortunately, these programs can also be th

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