Highlights of an interview between Don I. Tharpe, executive director of the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), and Richard W. Riley, United States Secretary of Education. Tharpe briefed Riley on the role of school business officials in administering school districts; the services ASBO provides its members; and the role ASBO plays in…

Institutional communication channels need to be clear so that administrators have the information necessary to make informed decisions whenever and wherever required. The secret is to treat the arrival of information--the good, the bad, and the neutral--in essentially the same way, and always thank the person who brings the news, regardless of its…

Outlines job responsibilities, activities, and priorities appropriate for beginning school business administrators. Beginners are advised to gather and record perceptions of staff members, discern key district and central-office issues, review district finances, establish a work routine, and manage time wisely. (Contains 12 references.) (MLH)

The recommendation to require state certification of chief school business officers (CSBO's) is an attempt to strengthen the public schools' business function, to raise the CSBO's status, and to underscore the relationships between the business and program sides of school district operations. Although the CSBO has traditionally been viewed as the…

The capital markets approach is an alternative means of risk financing whereby a school system establishes and controls its own insurance company and makes systematic contributions to pay for expected and anticipated losses and their associated costs. (MLF)

Argues that well-management college endowments and reserves can appreciate beyond inflation and serve as a source of increased resources. Looks at the ground rules of investment management in terms of stating investment objectives, investment restrictions, appropriate asset mix, and investment services. (AYC)

The career and administrative style of Mary M. Lai, who celebrates her 50th year as chief financial officer at Long Island University (New York), are discussed. Her perspectives on change in higher education and in the institution during that time, the administrator's role, current challenges for financial officers, and the college environment as…

College and university business officers must recognize the nature of current changes in higher education and alter their leadership methods to suit the times. Theories of leadership suggest strategies, behaviors, and abilities that business officers can use to shift from transactional to transformational leadership styles. (MSE)

School business officials should attend workshops and seminars to help them plan for retirement. When approaching retirement, SBOs should invest for low-risk growth, determine retirement goals, match insurance with needs, and decide when to stop full-time work. Retirees should invest for growth and income, withdraw assets at the right time, and…

Presents a view of ethics and morality as they may relate to the field of professional education. Defines ethics (identifiable values of individuals) and morals (identifiable values of social and culture-specific groups) as distinguishable but not separate and mutually exclusive normative theories of human conduct. (MLF)

The specific responsibilities of the school business official can be grouped into five major categories: (1) educational; (2) fiscal; (3) employee; (4) support services; and (5) other. (Author)

In many colleges, the business office has been isolated from other departments. The modern college business office reflects the highly efficient and technologically supported activities found in industry that have resulted in better services to the whole institution. (Author/MSE)

Systemic reform efforts are being widely utilized as a tool in school improvement. In the next decade, math and science are becoming a focus for improvement, as are the issues of privatization and collaboration. Asks school business officials questions to reveal how dedicated to change they are. (KDP)

Presents a personal perspective on the state of public education by the executive director of the American Association of School Administrators. Views the biggest problem as the poverty of one-fourth of all children in schools. (MLF)

The school business official's role in the performance of noncertificated employees in a school district requires effective review, evaluation, and prompt disciplinary action when warranted. Proper documentation of all employment practices and of the disciplinary response to a specific employee are necessary to avoid unfavorable court litigation.…