The Kresge Foundation is one of the few national foundations that give money only for construction and renovation at nonprofit organizations, a boon for colleges and universities with severe deferred maintenance problems. Recently, the foundation added a program to upgrade science equipment. Participating colleges must also raise funds. (MSE)

Describes how to select the right computerized maintenance-management system for school buildings through careful analysis of building needs and budgetary constraints. Discusses deciding on the use of implementation services following a maintenance system evaluation and selection process. Lists various companies involved in maintenance, energy,…

Presents data from the American School & University's annual Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Cost Study for the 1997-98 school year. Data include trends in building-operations-staff salaries and M&O costs expressed in dollars per student and per square foot. Results indicate an underfunding of M&O that may not provide students…

Discusses the myriad of challenges facing urban schools and the problems their districts must struggle through in finding solutions. The severity of these problems, such as additional facility demand, school deterioration, increasing rates of school takeovers, and tight budgets are described. (GR)

New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's recent private-school voucher proposal has strained his close collaboration with Chancellor Rudolf F. Crew. Shackled by its immensity and complexity, the system has too many failing schools and students. Higher Regents standards, disappearing principal tenure, and lagging school repairs may further erode public…

Examines one Pennsylvania school district's efforts to upkeep and improve its 30- to 40-year-old school facilities that required no tax increases for six years. Highlighted are the district's use of the Federal Land Reuse Authority to transform abandoned government property to private use and utilize the help of the community to provide mutually…

Reports on research at six Florida schools that identified common contributors to poor indoor air quality. Discusses the reasons behind the state implementing the research, the many problems associated with elevated humidity levels, and ways to improve air quality, which includes effective operational systems and maintenance procedures. (RJM)

Discusses how software programs can help managers evaluate roofing options, project maintenance, and repair costs. Describes how computerized roof management can aid in budgeting, facilitate the development of a roof-management database, and help in selecting the appropriate roof system. Offers tips on shopping for software. (RJM)

Individuals wishing to establish a legal negligence claim against a principal must first present evidence of recognizable duty (adequate supervision); breach of duty; proximate cause; and injury. Wise principals schedule periodic meetings to review safety measures, focus on vulnerable areas, designate an emergency stand-in, review equipment and…

Asserts that campus space needs could be remedied by moving centrally located service delivery organizations, such as fleet vehicle maintenance facilities. Describes the process of operational and space needs assessment; this process provides information that enables architects to plan for appropriate adjacencies, correct space allocation, and…

Addresses outsourcing of school facilities services and the steps facilities services staff can take to help preserve their jobs. Steps include increasing organizational communication of staff efforts; investigating computer software to better manage service delivery; training and motivating staff in new ideas and practices; and establishing goals…

Discusses the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers' (APPA) objective of developing a network system wherein K-12 community members can access facilities-related information and communicate with APPA members or other school districts. Specific considerations are highlighted that need to be addressed before a successful and effective…

Examines how a group of private corporations can bring new skills to the difficult task of designing, constructing, starting up, and maintaining educational facilities. (GR)

The landscape of public education in Michigan has changed dramatically over the last 13 years. Most districts receive a majority of their operating money from state government, not local taxes. Charter schools and nearby districts lure students away from local schools and capture the state money that goes with them. Districts are even subject to…

This directory provides information on various types of contract and outsourcing services available to colleges and universities. It contains profiles of approximately 2,000 service providers in 16 major categories: academic services, such as admissions, media and video conferencing, and testing; administrative services; advertising and marketing;…