Glenn Smith, APPA's Vice President for Professional Development, had the honor of introducing the closing panel discussion at APPA's annual conference in Boston last July--a discussion centered on the theme "Inventing Our Future." Previous general plenary sessions and related breakout sessions had explored the challenges people face in these…

Presents an interview with the utilities manager of Eastern Illinois University outlining key components of the school's energy-saving strategy, including its performance contracting. (EV)

Presents an interview with Keith Reid, vice president of education services at a facility services outsourcing firm, about the conditions of today's college campuses, how schools are handling facility services, and the future of the industry. (EV)

This report examines the underutilization of K-12 school facilities and the hidden advantages and disadvantages in expanding K-12 school facilities beyond a 7-hour weekday. It concludes that the benefits from extending facility hours for more teaching, increased extracurricular activities, and community use appear to far outweigh the more…

The insatiable institutional demands for computing cycles, network bandwidth, and storage clearly demonstrate that IT is a mission-critical function in nearly all areas of higher education. Not too long ago, the important issue for the central data center was physical size and floor space. As IT leaders struggle to meet relentlessly increasing…

Presents an interview with Kathleen O'Brien, vice president of university services at the University of Minnesota. Discusses her goals for making the school an institutional benchmark for architecture and facilities management. (EV)

In this interview with Dr. Homero Lopez, who brings thirty-two years of higher education experience to his position as the founding president of Estrella Mountain Community College, (Maricopa County Community College District of Arizona), topics centered on how learning spaces and campus design are planned and implemented on Estrella Mountain…

Presents responses from Matt McGovern, "School Planning and Management's" Maintenance and Operations columnist, on the issue of school facility maintenance. McGovern does not believe schools will ever likely meet acceptable levels of maintenance, nor use infrared thermography for assessing roofs, outsource all maintenance work, nor find…

Offers suggestions for facility managers who work with architects. Outlines what managers should do, such as clear decision making, and what they should not do, such as promising project delivery when not having control of all the variables. Provides a list of expectations and realities when working with architects. (RJM)

Education is undergoing a transformation across the country as it responds to new understandings of the mechanisms for learning. These changes are affecting the physical environments where learning occurs, from individual rooms to entire building complexes. The impact of these trends on facilities is dramatic. Old classroom models will not support…

Examines trends in facilities management relating to products and people. Reviews new trends in products, including processes, techniques, and programs that are being expounded by business and industry. Discusses the "people factors" involved in facilities management. (ABB)

This paper examines the impact current maintenance and operations (M&O) practices have on U.S. school performance and offers possible opportunities for improvement through the judicious use of technology and methodology. The paper also presents a regional comparative analysis of M&O costs across the country. A list of equipment and their…

Argues, in an interview with Sherree Speakman of Fox River Learning, that data-management techniques can improve teaching and learning in schools. Speakman discusses adapting business management to fit educational models, data-driven decision making, the kind of data needed for improving school effectiveness and where to get it, and the use of…

Discusses the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers' (APPA) objective of developing a network system wherein K-12 community members can access facilities-related information and communicate with APPA members or other school districts. Specific considerations are highlighted that need to be addressed before a successful and effective…

In recent years, colleges and universities have begun efforts to reduce their energy costs, an initiative that can not only save an institution money, but also strengthen relationships across campus. Board leadership has been central to this endeavor in setting goals, prioritizing projects, and financing those projects. Using her experiences with…