The New York Times

Ahem. So while Cruiser is most certainly adept, we would like to point out that the Talking Stick, and ACUHO-I in general, scooped The New York Times on this topic. Take that, Gray Lady! In our story, bedbug sniffer Jack–just as adorable and proficient as Cruiser, by the way–was the star. Jack demonstrated his talents at our Business Operations conference last October. See Wayne Walker’s October 2009 presentation on the subject in our library.

For yet another take on bedbugs, listen to the Fear of Sleep This American Life episode. Act two discusses bedbugs, and how intractable they are.

Higher education and student housing are experiencing the same trends. Especially vulnerable is the facilities department; the longtime employees there know the quirks of each building; where lines are buried, the unwritten details of the university’s history with a specific contractor. This knowledge isn’t written down; it’s in the facilities’ professionals’ heads, and if they leave, it goes with them. Compounding the issue is a paucity of young professionals in facilities-related fields and trades. For example, The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the job market will be wide open for electricians, physical plant operators, and HVAC mechanics in the near future, as longtime professionals retire and not enough young professionals are on track to replace them.

What to do? Knowledge databases, mentoring and shadowing are among the solutions institutions are trying. The Chronicle of Higher Education has an article on the topic, and The Talking Stick discussed the subject in 2007: “Replacement Parts” by Dave Sagaser.

What’s happening on your campus? Are succession plans in place? Is there active mentoring taking place already? Share in the comments section.

Some institutions have noticed a greater percentage of their applicants are in the younger age group. These students often want more of the “student life” opportunities that they would get at a four-year institution, and some community colleges are responding, according to an article in Inside HigherEd. We already have heard about community colleges building residence halls; now there’s at least one building a student center, to better facilitate student group meetings, study groups and the like. The construction was inspired by the administration’s conversations with students regarding what would improve their experience at the school. Student centers are not unheard of at community colleges, but they aren’t common, either.

New York University

In this lot.

See? It’ll be in that narrow, 60-foot-wide area just behind the streetlight, between the tan building and the dark brown building. The campus will occupy a 75,000 square foot building (to be constructed) and will be known to the acronym-happy as NYU-D.C. The campus will include five floors of student living space and classroom space. The living area will house 200 students, whose classes will be through the College of Arts & Sciences. History, journalism, politics, art history and economics will be the initial offerings when the campus opens in the fall of 2012. Nesting all the functions for daytime learning and nighttime living was quite a trick for the architects, according to a story in the Washington Business Journal: “It was like putting a little Swiss watch together, but we got it to work,” said architect Laurence Caudle.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Check out the full photo gallery and then use the comment section to discuss if you’ve implemented green roofs on any of your campus buildings.

Among the intended projects listed in the official release from the school, was a new residence hall on the university’s Crookston campus. The article also discusses how the University of West Florida is taking advantage of additional changes in tax law that will open more funding options for their much-needed new residence hall; receiving a $15 million loan that would not have been possible just three months ago.

According to a New York Times article, the School of Visual Arts in the Lower East Side of Manhattan is offering up its freshly-built residence hall for renters until full-time students arrive in August. Since the building wasn’t finished in time for spring classes, the school found itself with an empty hall and some time. Starting at $1,600 a month (this is New York, remember), renters get 24-hour security, utilities, internet, shared bathroom and kitchen facilities, and a continuing education class: specifically Background Essentials for Film History.

There haven’t been any takers yet but it’s still early (and this is New York). The school hopes the renters will consider pursuing a degree after their on-campus experience.

These tight times will mean that some firms will likely cease to exist, as the weak are winnowed from the herd, so to speak. And of course this period will be (one hopes) short-lived, so there are a limited number of schools that can use the downturn to their advantage.

So you’ve probably heard something about a stimulus package that Congress is concocting, and you might have also gathered that some parts of it benefit higher education, specifically renovation of facilities (not new-build) in higher education.

But how can you educate yourself on how this legislation could benefit you and take advantage of these opportunities?  First, pay attention to ACUHO-I’s announcements and e-mails in the coming weeks.  Second, check out these Web sites, which make the legalease a bit easier to digest.

National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities NCEF has put together a great site on how the stimulus package affects school facilities. They neatly explain how the funds are allowed to be used.

Shovel Ready SCUP’s site’s title refers to the tight turnaround required by recipients of federal funds for renovation. Projects you wish to fund must be planned and “shovel-ready,” with only a few last-minute preparations to go. This is not the time to look for a new project. Instead, go through your list of renovation to-dos: energy-efficient windows to replace old, leaky ones; modernizing a building with new technology; or replacing an old roof. The major restrictions won’t affect residence halls much: monies cannot be used for sports facilites that charge admission or for a building in which worship services are held. The money also comes with use-it-or-lose-it time restrictions.

Keep an eye on the Chronicle of Higher Education, for stories such as this: The $7-Billion Patch for Campus Maintenance.

Also, talk to your colleagues through the ACUHO-I Social Network, and share tips and ideas on how to identify projects and get the money to make them happen.