Maintenance & Operations
For everything you need to know on the maintenance side, look below for the latest on operations and facilities management, grounds maintenance and transportation. |
Labor SavingsBy Terry Thetford Outsourcing custodial services: common steps to success.... |
Number-CrunchingBy Mike Kennedy Gathering and maintaining accurate data is critical to wise facility decisions.... |
A Clean BreakBy Mike Kennedy Schools and universities should take steps to make their maintenance and cleaning operations more environmentally responsible.... |
Summer PlansBy Mike Kennedy While others bask in their leisure time, administrators and other school employees are doing the things that either didn’t get done or couldn’t get done while classes were in session.... |
Operating EfficientlyBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) To be effective when budgets are constrained, maintenance programs must use resources wisely.... |
Hard TimesBy Joe Agron (jagron@asumag.com) New report finds that there may be more pain on the budgetary front for education institutions this coming school year, even as the nation's overall economy continues to claw its way back from "The Great Recession."... |
Workable FormulasBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) Cuts make it unlikely that education institutions will be able to adhere to recommended staffing levels.... |
Think Outside the Building
Often overlooked as a learning environment, the outdoors may offer the most diverse range of educational experiences on any campus.... |
Coordinator fired after failing to remove drunken bus driver
Mount Prospect (Ill.) District 57 has fired a bus driver who was intoxicated while transporting students and dismissed the transportation coordinator who failed to recognize the driver's condition.... |
Support for school buses remains high
View the results from a survey by The American School Bus Council regarding support for school buses.... |
Grant money provides more propane school buses in Texas
The Texas State Energy Conservation Office has awarded a $3.1 million grant to the Railroad Commission of Texas to add 258 propane school buses and 24 support vehicles to 19 public fleets.... |
Clark County (Nev.) superintendent is stepping down
Walt Rulffes has announced that he will retire later this year as superintendent of the Clark County (Nev.) School District.... |
Study says hybrid-electric school buses use less fuel
A study by researchers at Iowa State University has found that hybrid-electric school buses burn significantly less fuel than comparable diesel buses.... |
Energy DemandsBy Ron Wilkinson Energy-conservation tips can save dollars for maintenance and operations.... |
Stimulus ResponseBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) Federal funds have helped schools and universities stay afloat, but states' education budgets remain in woeful shape.... |
Spring ThinkingBy Susan Lustig (slustig@asumag.com) Keeping your emergency plans up to date.... |
More funding sought for Native American schools
U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) is urging the Obama administration to provide more money to upgrade schools run by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).... |
Florida district cancels contract with office supply company
Lee County (Fla.) school superintendent James Browder has cancelled the district's purchasing contract with Office Depot after administrators were unable to resolve a dispute from a previous contract involving overcharges.... |
Maintenance ManagementBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) Concern over the spread of the H1N1 flu virus has prompted many schools and universities to make sure the right cleaning and maintenance efforts are in place to combat the illness.... |
More cuts at Yale University
Yale University says it will have to undergo another round of cuts to eliminate a $150 million budget shortfall.... |
$25 million in grants will help schools buy new kitchen equipment
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing $25 million in grants to help schools purchase new, energy-efficient appliances such as refrigerators, ovens and other food-service-related equipment.... |
Survey shows growing support for green procurement policies
Procurement officials at higher-education institutions say the adoption of green procurement policies is gaining momentum, but more progress is needed.... |
Overcoming Obstacles to Going GreenBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) Strategies to meet sustainability and cost goals in the design, construction and operation of education facilities.... |
Outlook 2010: Federal Race to the Top contest provides incentives for school reformBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) One highly publicized element of the economic recovery package for schools is the Race to the Top Fund, a school reform measure that is enticing districts with $4 billion that will be award to states in a national competition.... |
Outlook 2010: Energy conservation can help schools save sparse fundsBy Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com) A key aspect of sustainability is using energy efficiently. Schools and universities have plenty of opportunities to upgrades facilities and equipment to conserve energy and save money.... |
