Colleges and universities are finding innovative ways to cut electrical costs while maintaining the needed light and power to fulfill their educational missions. Farsighted planning of energy use is increasing, due in part to government and corporate leadership and support and to the changing vision of college administrators. (Author/MSE)

A university's financing choices cover many shades of gray. Some off-balance-sheet financing uses no debt capacity, while others represent or imply full financial commitment. Many others fall in between. The choices made by a number of institutions in financing facility expansions or improvements are discussed, and the Moody's Investors Service…

Long-range financial planning for plant renewal and upkeep is discussed. Traditional approaches and financial equilibrium planning approaches are described, as well as funding sources and expending these funds. (MLW)

It is noted that federal deregulation of the electrical utility industry will allow colleges and universities to buy electrical services from suppliers who provide the best reliability and cost combination. Considerations are examined for the following options: purchasing an existing electrical substation, building a new substation, using on-site…

Colleges and universities historically have ignored the capital costs associated with institutional administration in their estimates of overall and per-student costs. This neglect leads to distortion of data, misunderstandings, and uninformed decision making. The real costs should be recognized in institutional accounting. (MSE)

Higher education leaders have always considered the physical plant as an asset but may have little understanding of its dimensions as a liability, particularly higher debt service requirements for facility improvement or replacement. Strategic planning will be increasingly important in addressing campus facilities needs. (MSE)

Ohio State University developed a formula to calculate the annual and renovation budget necessary to maintain campus facilities. The calculations can indicate whether an institution is gaining or losing ground in facilities upkeep. Many institutions need to nearly double past efforts to retain physical plant quality and maintain facility…

The Peabody Institute of Baltimore (Maryland), the Johns Hopkins University's music school, addressed its financial problems by converting four campus buildings into an inn used to house Elderhostel participants. Annual program revenues cover all costs and yield a financial reserve for the school. (MSE)

The University of Michigan, winner of a federal award for its campus energy conservation, has developed a building automation system that uses direct-digital-control technology to manage energy use. The project, undertaken in partnership with an energy management company, has saved over $10 million since its inception, and includes a revolving…

An Environmental Protection Agency program encourages energy conservation on campuses by consulting with colleges and universities willing to reduce energy used in lighting. Full program implementation in these and other organizations can create significant savings in demand for electricity and help fight global warming and acid rain. (MSE)

A campus's physical presence typically serves as the "front door" for key audiences and important constituencies, creating an initial and often enduring image within the community from which it hopes to attract students, faculty, and staff. Effective real-estate management presents opportunities to design a more inviting welcome sign.…

Common challenges faced by colleges and universities in fulfilling information system needs are explained and discussed, including frequent and bothersome database and application program upgrades, bugs in the application programs, business systems lacking the required business capability, upgrades to software tools used to build the business…

The Colorado School of Mines' experience illustrates that with good planning and enough money, a small university can provide a high level of waste management service, complying with government regulations. Considerations in developing the plan include a segregation scheme for incompatible materials, vehicle selection, and costs of ongoing…

Alternative financing methods (other than state financing) for developing cost-effective energy efficiency projects are discussed. It is suggested that by properly financing energy efficiency investments, state campuses can generate immediate positive cash savings. The following eight initiatives for maximizing energy savings potential are…

The Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) in Wisconsin has entered into a partnership with industry to fund continuous upgrading and expansion of its laboratories. The program has succeeded because of industry's need to hire work-ready graduates who have experience with the companies and with the latest technology. (MSE)