State-of-the-art, energy-efficient facilities are now emerging on campuses across the US, and for a variety of reasons: One practical consideration is that such buildings bring down energy costs, which are now soaring. Facing rising expenditures and a tightening of potential revenue, universities are looking for ways to reduce operating costs, and…

Even if one does not believe--and it is getting increasingly difficult not to--that the "green revolution" on college campuses is akin to the great movements for social change that rocked universities in the 1960s and '70s, there is no denying that it has taken root in such a way that no campus administrator can afford to ignore it. And unlike the…

School construction or renovation projects can have a profound affect on students, faculty and administration. The literature revealed that continuous communication is essential for a smooth process. This research identified bureaucratic issues and school climate to be leading factors of concern during construction projects. Analysis of this study…

This publication highlights opportunities to improve the educational outcomes of Hispanic children at an early age, a time that is critical to setting up the academic success of children. Specifically, this paper examines barriers to quality and access that limit the participation of Latino children and families in preschool and offers…

Facing the possibility of expanding a Montessori school space can seem overwhelming. How does one know if it makes sense for the community? How does one know if the time is right for consideration? How does one know where to get started with such a mountainous task? This article will help to take some of the mystery out of growing a school…

This article profiles Jackson State University, a historically Black school of more than 8,000 students located at the southern end of Jackson, Mississippi's majority-Black capital city. Founded in 1877, Jackson State has emerged as one of Mississippi's leading research institutions as well as one of the top HBCUs in the country for research. Its…

This article describes how some schools are now spending millions to create recreation spaces with lavish touches that are appealing enough to satisfy existing students and lure potential ones. The recreation centers that colleges and universities are erecting offer students a slice of luxury not seen on campuses just a few years earlier. Several…

Showing up at school is critical to a student's success. Students with prolonged or chronic absences from the classroom are likely to fall behind in their studies, and schools with high absentee rates risk the erosion of badly needed funding. As such, it is vital for school and university learning spaces to be environments that do not jeopardize…

This publication details the institutional goals, objectives, and strategies of public universities in Arkansas as related to their appropriations requests. It also provides operating and capital recommendations of the Arkansas Public Higher Education Coordinating Board for 2011-2013 biennium for each institution. (Contains 10 tables.) [For Volume…

This study explored the interplay between quality facilities and school climate, charting the effects of facility conditions on student and teacher attitudes, behaviors, and performance within schools slated for renovations in a large metropolitan school district. The research applied a school leadership-building design model to explore how six…

A library media center is the information hub of the school, but it is beginning to look a little frayed at the shelves and it's time for a makeover. In this article, the authors present the steps in the makeover process and provide creative ideas to improve the atmosphere of the library media center. Before the makeover, there should be a plan.…

Researchers in the Boston University Department of Environmental Health conducted a case study of the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, a project that provides funds and technical support to community groups dedicated to renovating schoolyards in Boston. Researchers described the process by which the Boston Schoolyard Initiative came into being and…

Scotland's Building Excellence programme is exploring the implications of curriculum reform for school building design. It includes events which bring together teachers, designers, school managers and local authorities.

In an effort to quantify what constitutes an "environmentally correct" building, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. LEED has become the North American standard for what constitutes sustainable design. The LEED guidelines are the best way to differentiate genuinely…

One of the hubs of campus life at Longwood University--located in the small central Virginia town of Farmville--is the Janet D. Greenwood Library. In fall 2004, reference materials were relocated to free up space, and 15 computer workstations, which had been lined up against a wall, were replaced with 48 new PCs. In 2005, library staff began…