A principle responsibility of a board member is to understand the environment in which his or her institution operates. Today, that environment includes a host of legal risks that every institution of higher education must be prepared to assess and proactively address. Colleges and universities work to contain and manage those risks through such…

Sometimes a principal just has to get out of the office. A walk around the building might provide an escape from the pace of a hectic day, a chance to clear the head and perhaps allow a new perspective on a seemingly monumental school-related challenge to emerge. Wherever the principal walks, he or she is able to identify things that need…

School building maintenance must find an appropriate balance between planned and reactive work in order to conserve costs. This document provides ways in which authorities can assess their maintenance requirements and make better use of the resources available. It considers how to deal with problems which have their roots in historical design…

Outlining the major areas to be considered when deciding whether or not to computerize physical plant services in higher education institutions, the author points out the shortcomings of manual record keeping systems. He gives five factors to consider when deciding to computerize: (1) time and money, (2) extent of operation, (3) current and future…

A manual provides guidelines for school maintenance activities for schools located in the Caribbean, and examines the organization of a maintenance program, the inspection process, and the maintenance plan. The assessment process is detailed and forms are provided for assessing school roofs, building exteriors and interiors, plumbing, electrical…

The District of Columbia Public Schools system has taken action to ensure that supply items will be obtained at the most competitive prices. Because lack of storage facilities prevented bulk purchase of emergency items at competitive rates, the Division of Buildings and Grounds has remodeled a building as a warehouse to store large quantities of…

The computerization of school bus maintenance records by the Niskayuna (New York) Central School District enabled the district's transportation department to engage in management practices resulting in significant savings. The district obtains computer analyses of the work performed on all vehicles, including time spent, parts, labor, costs,…

Drownings in lifeguard supervised areas are often due to failure of guard to recognize signs of struggle, intrusion of nonlifeguard duties, and distraction from surveillance duties. Information on inservice training programs and suggestions for monitoring performance are given. (DF)

A seminar was held to exchange experiences from participants on maintenance issues and attempt to define a common approach to the formulation of adequate and realistic maintenance policies and strategies. This paper discusses the major themes and conclusions from the seminar whose topics were structured around the knowledge of building stock,…

As campuses react to budget cuts and increasing programmatic demands, the competition for resources among constituencies is increasingly intense. In this environment, reinvesting in campus facilities becomes challenging because, quite simply, the financial commitment can be immense. Unfortunately, many campus constituencies fail to understand the…

Fifty-two cost reduction efforts on college and university campuses are described, as part of the Cost Reduction Incentive Awards Program sponsored by the National Association of College and University Business Officers and the United States Steel Foundation. The incentive program is designed to stimulate cost-effective ideas and awareness of the…

To maintain its 17 school buildings, the Albany, New York, school system uses private contractors whose services for labor and materials are obtained at a fixed price for a one-year period through a competitive bid. (MLF)

A computer program utilized to generate detailed reports of labor requirements saved almost $700,000 in custodial labor costs for the Facilities Maintenance and Operations Division of Oakland County, Michigan. The program also is used for a quality-control audit system during inspections to evaluate cleaned rooms. (MLF)

Describes the advantages of EPDM, a single-ply rubber roofing system, and the experience of using it in reroofing eight public schools in the Logansport, Indiana, School District. (MLF)

When students think about the obstacles they must overcome to get into a school, most probably are thinking in terms of SATs, ACTs or other entrance exams. However, for students with disabilities, the obstacles they face often are literal ones: manual doors. Accommodating those with disabilities or physical limitations is one reason for schools to…