Describes how Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, successfully reversed a 15-year contract management arrangement for custodial services and built its own in-house management team. The article describes and presents results of the university's task-development workshop. (GR)

Colleges placed more of an emphasis on maintenance and operations (M&O) this school year by increasing the amount spent on M&O as a percentage of total budget. According to "American School & University's" 12th annual College Maintenance and Operations Cost Study, spending on M&O as a percentage of total college budget increased to 11 percent from…

Advice on how a college physical plant director can improve his/her department. (MLF)

A systematic roof maintenance program is characterized by carefully prepared long- and short-range plans. An essential feature of a systematic approach to roof maintenance is the stress on preventive measures rather than the patching of leaks. (Author)

Discusses issues involved in outsourcing school maintenance and custodial services. There are many advantages to this approach, but it has definite drawbacks. In many instances, a combination of contract and employee services works well. (SLD)

Describes how the LaPorte Independent School District in Texas turned to ultraviolent light devices installed within the HVAC system to combat mold and fungus after conventional approaches failed. Describes the additional benefits of energy savings from the system. (EV)

Discusses the benefits of a preventive maintenance program for a school's building envelope, especially roofing, including avoiding a crisis-management mentality and gaining greater control over time and finances. (EV)

Describes the professional mold remediation process that was performed at Lane Community College in Oregon. (EV)

Discusses how school restroom cleaning can be simplified by a standardized maintenance procedure. Details sources of odor, steps for spot cleaning and deep cleaning, and cleaning tools such as microfiber wipes and mop heads. (EV)

Discusses the importance of attention to plumbing in college facilities, offering examples from various campuses. Addresses preventive maintenance, technology, and piping materials, including the debate between cast iron and PVC for drain pipes. (EV)

Discusses the strategic use of staff and the right materials to keep public areas in colleges and universities in the best shape and attract new students. Suggests making public areas a priority in budgeting and examines the various cleaning and maintenance problems that need attention when planning for maintainability. (GR)

Explores the role of the uniform for custodian and maintenance employees and presents e-mail responses to questions concerning the wisdom of using uniforms, whether to purchase or rent them, and the influence of weather on changing uniform requirements. (GR)

Provides an overview of what maintenance personnel should know about a school's technological equipment and infrastructure in order to help them provide needed services. Concluding comments address what maintenance can do to help network personnel in making equipment function optimally. (GR)

Examines how simpler school building monitoring systems can be the answer to a school district's maintenance needs, particularly in cold climates. The Sensaphone system which can be configured to monitor any number of building systems is described. (GR)

Contracting for school maintenance in Vancouver (Washington) has improved custodial care and provided more than 20 CETA jobs while saving money. (Author/WD)