Page 8 - College Planning & Management, March 2019

Campus Scene IN THE SPOTLIGHT
{ CONT. FROM PAGE 3 }
Drexel University Establishes Center for Honors Students
With the help of a $5 million gift, Drexel University in Philadelphia will create a new epicenter on its campus for honors students.
Construction is already underway
at Calhoun Hall, an existing student residence hall, that will be fully renovated as part of Greg and Caroline Bentley Hall, a new complex that will house a true “liv- ing/learning” community for honors col- lege students. In addition to the renovated student residence, Bentley Hall will also include a new, two-story glass and stone addition of about 10,800 square feet that will house the Pennoni Honors College
offices and seminar rooms.
The project will be completed in
two phases. The first phase includes completing the renovation of Calhoun Hall that was constructed in 1972. The renovated residence hall will accommo- date about 380 students and is scheduled to open by fall 2019.
During the second phase of the project, the two-story addition will be completed. Scheduled to open in 2020, the addition will include three seminar rooms, offices for the Pennoni Honors College, and col- laborative study and social lounges.
New Solar Installation for Penn State
Pennsylvania State University recently announced plans for a 70 MW off-site solar development that will provide 25 percent of the university’s electricity requirements over a 25-year term. The new project will provide 2,500 megawatt-hours of clean, reliable, and affordable solar-generated energy
Hot Tips
This Month
Facilities Maintenance
3 Keys to Successful
Property Inspections
IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE MAINTENANCE
costs, there are advantages to doing property inspections. To begin with, they give you valuable information that makes the stressful maintenance decision-making process easier and straightforward. We all know that effec- tive inspections involve more than just walking around a property looking for potential issues. Here’s how to succeed at property inspections.
1. Start with standardized methods.
Successful inspection programs, built on a foundation of standardized methods, help improve consistency over time. That way, you can reliably compare results from a current inspection to past ones. Take several pictures of each component’s condition—don’t try to rely on notes from inspectors exclusively; use a condition rating scale—keep ratings as simple as possible. Don’t be tempted to start doing inspections first, then record the data later. That’s a recipe for expensive mistakes and a sub-par inspection.
2. Instructions matter. Successful inspections leverage great written guidelines. Provide your team with written instructions they can review. Even if your inspection is set up correctly, it only makes it harder to get the trac- tion if your staff isn’t sure what to do. It’s about taking the guesswork out of the equation.
3. Create checklists (or know where to get them). Successful inspections have rock-solid processes. If you’re new to exterior maintenance, creating checklists can be a fun and exciting way to get better. If you want to do a great inspection, you need to learn how to make inspection checklists. If that isn’t you yet, you can shortcut this by asking a contrac- tor to help you. You might supply the vision and property knowledge, and they bring their years of experience and expertise.
Western Specialty Contractors (www. westernspecialtycontractors.com), based in St. Louis, MO, is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing.
ON THE WEB, ON DEMAND, 24/7/365
COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT offers you free information, including webcasts and white papers, ebooks, archived articles in a searchable database, and much more, accessible to you at webCPM.com.
Webcasts and other resources available to you today under the Resource Center tab at webCPM.com include:
WEBINARS:
• Event Management & the Bottom Line
• Intelligent & Inspiring Interior Design: Process, Planning & Impact
• Beyond the Light Switch: Elements of Effective Energy-Saving Programs • Boiler Room to Board Room: Showing Your Work Matters
...and more
WHITE PAPERS/EBOOKS:
• Best Practices for Keeping Students Safe
• Outdoor Spaces That Pay Long-Term Dividends
• 6 Simple Steps to Smarter Construction Procurement • 5 Education Operations Management Trends to Know ...and more
You can also connect with College Planning & Management on
and .
8 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / MARCH 2019
WEBCPM.COM