As college and university financial officers pursue business partnerships to boost institutional revenue, they must consider how these agreements affect the tax exempt status of their financing arrangement, continually monitoring use of facilities financed with tax-exempt debt. Issues to be addressed include the provisions of service contracts,…

An approach to outsourcing following college or university reorganization, termed re-sourcing, involves developing an unlimited partnership with an external service provider that creates value for the enterprise. A re-sourcing relationship evolves from a search for a partner who understands the institution's unique mission and is committed to…

Total cost management, an innovation useful in higher education, is best implemented in the institution's support services. Total cost management is the practice of analyzing and improving an institution's financial and qualitative performance when producing a particular product or service, paying attention to the complete work process and all…

Electronic methods of transacting and managing business represent the future of college and university services. With proper planning, an all-campus card program offers many benefits and full cost recovery. The extensive Duke University (North Carolina) smart-card program illustrates the flexibility, utility, and cost-effectiveness of the concept.…

The decision to operate or engage contractors for college food services should be based on consideration of quality, contractors' fees for services, food service staff wages, food service director's salary, potential for union activities under a contractor, and governing board or state regulations. (MSE)

Increasingly, colleges are participating in long-distance telephone service provision for students as a money-making tool. Student needs for telecommunications have expanded with regular student use of computers, and software-based billing systems simplify program administration. The arrangement can solve financial, security, and logistical…

The major steps a college should undertake in contracting for services, including the initial determination as to whether or not contracting is the best way to provide a particular service, are described. Three general activities that apply to decisions about contracting in most circumstances are: investigating service characteristics; identifying…

A discussion of court litigation and legal issues concerning mandatory college student activities fees concludes that, if institutional policies are designed and implemented to accommodate the primary purpose of providing educational experiences and opportunities for students, students will have little inclination to force a legal battle over…

Some of the opportunities created by e-business, or electronic commerce, for college teaching and administration are explored, including distributed learning, new forms of payment, new learning materials, academic support tools, administrative support, and new forms of publishing. E-business initiatives for colleges and universities are suggested.…

A study investigated the attitudes of college and university employees concerning the recent privatization of dining services at three universities. Results indicate the employees saw the contractor, not the institution, as benefitting most from the changes. Employees had little understanding of the benefits of the arrangement to the university or…

This article discusses the impact of resource reallocation by colleges and universities using Virginia Commonwealth University as an example. Alternative areas for creative reallocations noted include increased productivity/efficiency, quality improvement, growth by substitution, targeted fund raising, planned savings, categorical funding, tuition…

Colleges and universities are turning increasingly to private real estate and property management companies to boost customer satisfaction with, and income from, student housing. Issues to be considered are examined, including the market profile, facility types and needs, maintenance and housekeeping, communications technology, complementary…

The trend toward outside contracting of college and university services is examined, and issues involved in the decision to do so are discussed. The experience of one university in outsourcing its printing services shop is offered as illustration of how this approach can resolve several administrative issues: cost, quality and extent of services,…

The University of South Florida's emergency plans were found inadequate when its campus newspaper received a letter threatening extensive destruction. A group of 31 representatives of 20 areas of the institution created 11 subplans for an emergency preparedness center, personnel, events and activities, faculty/student relations, communications,…