Growth and technology have driven the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) to build a geographic information system (GIS) database for its facilities and space management. This chapter reviews several issues concerning this implementation: (1) the challenges involved in implementing the system; (2) the lack of efficiency and accuracy that existed…

The purpose of this research is to discuss development of the Logistical Tracking System (LTS)1 and evaluate the changes in processes and procedures at the University of Texas-Dallas (UT-Dallas) that were due to implementation of a new type of technology. The chapter elaborates on the positive and negative aspects of designing and constructing a…

In today"s economy, public university administrators need to reflect on current practices for reporting and projecting space requirements to government entities as the cost of constructing new facilities or renovating space rises while income from legislative appropriations diminishes. As stewards of public buildings and funds, institutions…

The M.I.T. INSITE (INstitutional Space Inventory TEchniques) system, a management information system developed specifically to provide facilities management information for decision making in the planning stages, is described. Since 1973, M.I.T. has shared the INSITE technology with a consortium of users from academic, health care, corporate and…

Physical facilities represent a substantial investment for institutions of higher education, and the costs for maintenance and operation represent a sizable part of the annual operating budget. Higher education is moving toward a comprehensive form of facilities management to assure that this investment is adequately preserved and effectively…

Academic leaders and governing boards are increasingly aware of the importance and difficulty in managing physical plants as finite resources. In addition, the finances needed to renovate or build facilities have become severely constrained. The National Science Foundation (2000), in its survey of research facilities, suggests that research space…

Integrated planning promotes collaborative thinking and furnishes mechanisms for linking strategic plans with operational plans. (Contains 1 figure.)