Plant management offers more ways of achieving economy than do other parts of a school operation. (Author)

A light-hearted look at some of the characteristics of elementary schools that are absent from most organizational descriptions, including malfunctioning heating and cooling systems, archaic audiovisual equipment, and an inordinate number of uninvited cats and dogs. (JM)

The work order, when used properly, provides a lasting record of the work actually accomplished and can be a valuable management tool to determine future budgets, predict equipment failure rate, and provide other important information used in decision making. (Author/MLF)

Effective measures to decrease vandalism on the Oswego campus include replacement of damaged items with more resilient materials, the maintenance of communication between campus police and residence hall personnel, and a variety of measures to encourage community ownership and pride. (MLF)

Facts about the specifications for carpets used in different areas in schools. (MLF)

Reviews the snow clearance procedure at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. (MLF)

Of all things that can damage a roof, people are the worst. Ways are suggested to control access to roofs and monitor inspections and maintenance work. (Author/MLF)

Discusses how to build a successful cleaning process in order to most effectively maintain school facilities, explaining that the cleaning processes used plays a critical role in productivity. Focuses on: developing a standardized system; making sure that employees have the right tools for the work they perform; training employees; tracking and…

Discusses factors leading to the current problem of poorly maintained schools, such as budget and labor cuts and misdirected purchasing policies. Provides an overview of some solutions, such as innovations in cleaning supplies and equipment, and having an integrated system to clean the school district. (EV)

Discusses how an emphasis on student recruitment, combined with deferred maintenance backlogs and maintenance budget cuts, suggest that further study needs to be done on the intrinsic value of campus maintenance. (EV)

Presents an interview with Kathleen O'Brien, vice president of university services at the University of Minnesota. Discusses her goals for making the school an institutional benchmark for architecture and facilities management. (EV)

Investigates state unmet funding needs for school infrastructure. Finds an estimated total of $266.1 billion in unmet funding needs. Provides state-by-state estimates of unmet funding that range from $220.1 million in Vermont to $47.6 billion in New York. Compares urban and rural infrastructure needs. Includes recommendations for school business…

Contract management of school maintenance and operations is a growing trend. In-house departments need to be prepared to justify their positions. Describes a Texas school district's request for proposal for contract management and includes the specifications for bidding with comments about the wording of the document. (MLF)

Explains how daily maintenance and design planning can reduce the potential safety hazards found in athletic-facility locker rooms. Topics include designing locker rooms for visual openness and traffic control, providing non-slip surfaces and proper drainage, installing ventilation systems that can handle the moisture produced in locker rooms,…