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…

Factors affecting financial decisions for energy conservation projects at independent colleges and universities and methods that may be used when making a financial investment decision are examined, along with sources of funding for the projects. Projects that result in the conservation of energy resources might, in a time of extreme shortages,…

Reasons for changing telephone systems at colleges and universities and the preparation and evaluation of requests for proposals (RFP) are discussed. The negotiation and monitoring of the contract are also addressed. It is noted that contracting for a new telecommunications system is extremely complex. Reasons for changing systems include cost…

The analytical problems faced by gross interstate comparisons of higher education funding are reviewed, the overall usefulness to decision-makers of interstate comparisons, and other approaches to comparative analysis are considered. It is claimed that the usefulness of gross interstate comparisons is limited, since both technical and structural…

Financing options for energy efficiency investments by colleges are outlined by the Energy Task Force of three higher education associations. It is suggested that alternative financing techniques generate a positive cash flow and allow campuses to implement conservation despite fiscal constraints. Since energy conservation saves money, the savings…