Illustrates how Mount Saint Vincent University (Halifax), by upgrading the control and monitoring of one building or section of the school at a time, could produce savings in energy and operating costs and improve the environment. Explains a gradual, "building block" approach to facility automation that provides flexibility without a…

Provides data on school maintenance and operations (M & O) costs in the United States. Costs are expressed in dollars per student and per square foot. Data show school districts are spending more to maintain and operate their buildings, but M & O budgets are not rising by the same rate. (GR)

Presents 1997 maintenance and operations (M&O) cost summaries from a sampling of chief business officers at public school districts across the United States. Nationally, results show 9.59% of a school district's net current expenditure was appropriated for M&O in the 1996-1997 school year, up slightly from fiscal year 1995-1996. Costs are shown to…

Using national data from various sources, this study investigates the influence of financial aspects of state higher education policy on college completion. It found that college completion is positively associated with total state grants as a percentage of appropriations of state tax funds for operating expenses of higher education and state…

This paper presents a model of the approaches open to government to ensure that early childhood services are affordable to families. We derived the model from a comparative literature review of affordability approaches taken by government, both in Australia and internationally. The model adds significantly to the literature by proposing a means to…

The authors present ideas and techniques to stimulate divergent thinking on ways to cope with fulfilling the training department's mission, purpose, and objectives within a federal agency during times of fewer resources. (Author/CH)

Presents a series of five principles which facilitate the completion of performance analysis and the implementation of solutions to organizational problems. The effectiveness of the principles is demonstrated through an account of a project in which lack of control over operating room inventory in a hospital was analyzed and remedied. (JL)

Title II of the Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Affairs Act of 1976 (the Museum Services Act providing general operating support) is examined for: steps in implementation, legal implications of support, opportunities for similar state and local programs, problems in undertaking such support, and alternatives under reduced federal support. (MSE)

The survival of the alumni magazine in its traditional format and the ability to find money to continue publishing during inflationary times are discussed. The "voluntary subscription," direct mail campaign, and the use of advertising are described. (MLW)

An effective energy conservation program, it is suggested, will require institutional changes and capital costs. The energy problem is seen as not simply a technical problem but a management one requiring the attention of the entire campus community. Some energy saving tips are provided, including quick fix items and investments. (MLW)

A conceptual framework for understanding both the growth in college administrative staffs and the shift in faculty functions that have caused institutional operating costs to rise steadily is presented. Strategies for changing the trend are discussed. (MSE)

A study compared two teaching hospitals' costs for educational programs with annual hospital operating expenses, with inflation, and by program. Unit costs were estimated for graduate and undergraduate medical students. Allocated education costs were 13 percent to 14 percent of operating budgets, in line with medical inflation trends. Cost per…

A study found that a typical research university would raise its overhead rate significantly if it constructed a new building by borrowing or using its own money, but, if it won a congressional earmark, the overhead rate could decline slightly. This encourages colleges to seek construction money directly from Congress. (MSE)

Of the 58 referenda held in search of capital funds for public library buildings in 1997, 49 were successful, and of the 67 referenda seeking operating funds, 55 were successful. Funding levels and voter approval rate are examined, and a sidebar describes a bond issue at the Topeka Public Library. (LRW)

Explores the use of performance contracting as a means to fund building improvements and equipment upgrades. Information is provided on contractor selection, paying for capital improvements, and researching performance contracting before using it. Ten tips for efficient building operation are highlighted. (GR)