Explains how to choose classroom furniture that complements the teaching methodology and fits classroom configurations and needs. Highlights purchasing considerations beyond quality, price, and service. These include standardizing the products being purchased, fabric selection, and aesthetic appearance. (GR)

As educators battle restricted budgets, inflation, and enrollment changes, strategic sourcing management is replacing traditional transaction-based procurement. Procurement-card programs, allowing organizations to use credit cards for small purchases or low-value items, save time and enhance controls over merchants, credit limits, issuance limits,…

Provides several directories for college and university administrators to use when purchasing school products or services. Alphabetical listings are provided for products and services, suppliers and manufacturers to education facilities/business market, and a regional breakdown of architectural and consulting firms specializing in education…

One way colleges can approach cost control is by taking advantages of cooperative purchasing activities with other, similar institutions. Guiding principles for effective efforts include sharing the risk, sharing the resources, providing services to other institutions, and expanding institutional bargaining power through cooperation. Significant…

Describes the process behind health-plan selection for school district employees and offers suggestions on how managers might enhance their current healthcare plan purchasing process. Areas of health-plan review and critique are listed as are tips for measuring plan performance and advice on acquiring backup data on plan quality. (GR)

States that faculty needs for high quality projection hardware seem to cluster around three variables: brightness, mount, and cost. Discusses the many lessons learned in the purchase, installation, and maintaining of video projectors in community colleges. Suggests some Web sites to explore for assistance in purchasing the next video projector…

Describes the formation and role of a consortium for cooperative purchasing formed by the Council of Chief Librarians for the California Community Colleges in fall 1998 called the Electronic Access and Resources Committee. Its charge is to evaluate electronic, proprietary databases and negotiate prices for the community colleges as a group. (VWC)

Explains how standardizing computer system hardware and software throughout the school campus can increase efficiency; reduce costs and acquisition lead time; and make training, technical support, and hardware replacement and repair easier. Questions to ask when choosing among different hardware and software systems are highlighted. (GR)

Describes the increasing trend of incorporating electronic commerce methods to purchasing systems at colleges and universities. Provides examples from the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University (Massachusetts), California State University at Fullerton, and the University of California at Los Angeles. (DB)

Presents an alphabetical compilation of suppliers and products for business and educational facility's needs, and listings of educational architects and education associations. Also provided are a 1999 American School & University article index, a calendar of major education trade shows, the 2000 editorial calendar, and free information cards…

Discusses the abandonment of the traditional school chair and desk for more flexible public school furniture and provides tips for making a transition that combines technological considerations with flexibility and quality. Furniture planning that fosters team learning is highlighted. (GR)

A survey of 145 schools found that all had experimented with innovative purchasing approaches. Many used electronic methods, such as credit-card, fast-track requisition (most popular), bidding and purchasing, and data interchange. Results suggest that nonelectronic innovations (just-in-time, cooperative, direct, and consortium leverage purchasing)…

Discusses why schools and universities should use testing procedures in any wire bid specification for cable wiring and also know how experienced the installers are in testing and installing structured cabling systems. Key cabling terms are included. (GR)

Explains how furniture selection for residence halls depends on the space available, the function it is intended to serve, and the types of students who live there. Discusses the creation of a home-like atmosphere, including instituting regulations that let students supply some of their own furniture. (GR)

The best learning potential lies in adapting educational software to students' needs and learning styles. Few programs provide an adaptive learning environment. Educators should realize that information is not instruction, simplicity matters, graphics should enhance content, navigational designs should work intuitively, and interactions should…