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Facilites Manager | Sept/Oct 2013

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the bookshelf Book Review Editor: Theodore J. Weidner, Ph.D., P.E., CEFP, AIA We're in a time of transition, and paying attention to the transition means surviving in our business or not. I'm not talking about personal survival but corporate survival. The last thing I want is to become the most recent "buggy whip" manager. That's why I try to keep on the lookout for books that challenge our industry or "attack" preconceived notions. In this issue there are two more such books that I hope you'll enjoy. COLLEGE UNBOUND, THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR STUDENTS Jeffrey J. Selingo, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, 2013, 256 pages, $26.00 hardcover, $5.99 Kindle. P reviously, I reviewed The Innovative University, which discussed the development of higher education in the United States and how some campuses are finding their own niche, rather than attempting to emulate Harvard University. Throughout that analysis there was the general recognition that higher education provides an opportunity for a better economic future for individual students, but that the typical college student participating in higher education is still tradition-bound and costly. College (Un)Bound presents many of the challenges facing higher education: high costs, shrinking public support, a failing cost model, MOOCs, and cost/ benefits. How will colleges face these challenges, and what are the likely outcomes if only traditional solutions are used? It isn't pretty. The discussion about MOOCs (massive open online courses) can be frightening to faculty. In June 2013, Prof. Benjamin Ginsberg of Johns Hopkins University lashed out against MOOCs and proposed MOOAs (mas- sive open online administrations) to address administrative bloat in colleges. In his proposal, MOOAs would handle administrative tasks "more efficiently" by using a single administrator for many campuses. Whether his comments were a sign of frustration with the attacks at higher education costs or not, he has forgotten or ignored outsourced campus services that facility officers have been UNLESS YOU'RE WORKING FOR AN ELITE INSTITUTION WITH SIGNIFICANT ENDOWMENT PER STUDENT, YOUR INSTITUTION MAY BE AFFECTED. using already. Whether faculty or college staff like it or not, costs are driving students to cheaper, alternative educational venues. The ivory tower is getting soot-stained, and not just the faculty will feel the effects. I'm not arguing for or against a particular model; I am arguing the need to pay attention to the external forces that are affecting all of higher education. Unless you're working for an elite institution with significant endowment per student, your institution may be affected. I recommend keeping an eye on the issues that are driving our institutional leaders, and being prepared to respond to the changing landscape quickly. College (Un) Bound should be on your reading list so you're prepared. ENERGY FOR FUTURE PRESIDENTS: THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE HEADLINES Richard A Muller, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2013, 368 pages, $16.95 softcover, $12.82 Kindle. T hrough both personal and work experience, I have learned that paying attention to energy, where it comes from, and how it is used is important for future success. Paying attention doesn't just mean knowing what was consumed and how much it cost, although those are both important data elements. One must also pay attention to what comprimise the energy providers' costs and systems. Facilities Manager | september/october 2013 | 65

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