Business News

A New SAT: School Appearance Test
Study finds college-bound count cleanliness in their choices

A recent study of high school seniors who have selected or are in the process of selecting a college or university indicates that the most notable experiences seniors encounter on their best college visit have to do with the appearance of the campus and its facilities.

According to the study, conducted in December 2001, “how clean, well-kept, orderly the campus was” ranked as one of the highest responses from students. Tied with cleanliness, students also noted the campus landscapes and size.

The Noel-Levitz market research firm conducted the study “Campus Visit Expectations, Experiences and Impact on Enrollment” with high school seniors in Georgia, Illinois, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

The firm first surveyed participating students about expectations of campus visits, and then asked students open-ended questions about their experiences during their best campus visit. When the research team asked students what they noted during their best visit, seven of the top 10 responses related to the appearance of the campus.

A summary of the study recommends: “From the moment a student sets foot on campus, an institution should make sure he or she feels welcome, can find the way easily, and that the campus is nicely landscaped, clean and appealing.”

Popping up in bold, national headlines, the issue of mold and its effect on health is on the forefront of many people’s minds. In line with that growing concern, The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International recently approved a formal policy to address mold and mildew.

BOMA supports research to examine the potential health effects of mold in indoor environments. The association opposes any initiatives by federal, state and local authorities to write model building codes and standards regulating mold and moisture.

To many school districts currently pinching pennies, “free labor” are welcome words.

In Washington, D.C., recently, more than 1,000 volunteers scrubbed and swept the district’s 20 school buildings, saving about $400,000 in maintenance expenses, school officials told the Washington Post.

A spokesperson from the Board of Education said some of the tasks might have been left undone if it weren’t for volunteers.

Among those who took part in the cleanup were students and members of area volunteer organizations between ages 14 and 23.

District officials, who planned the event, said they expect to hold a similar event next year.

Slip and fall prevention is one of the biggest safety concerns housekeeping managers face in almost any environment where hard floors are present. Now, cleaning decision makers have a new resource to help them reduce risk of such incidents. The National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), a non-profit organization that addresses slip and fall safety concerns, has begun testing and certifying hard-floor finishes and other related products to determine which items meet the institute’s rating of high-traction.

While many decision makers may be familiar with the label of slip-resistant, which many products carry, the NFSI has taken their testing a step further to assure even more traction, says Russell J. Kendzior, executive director of the organization.

"Slip-resistant products must have a .5 static coefficient of friction, which we believe many products can achieve given the way manufacturers typically test for such properties," he says. "We are looking at products to find a .6 static coefficient of friction under wet circumstances."

Products that receive the organization’s high-traction label must undergo a two-part testing process that includes lab and field studies. NFSI already has tested and certified multiple products that manufacturers volunteered for testing since the process began in March 2002. The group expects to have tested between 20 and 30 items by the end of this year.

Housekeeping professionals can find out if the products they currently use have been certified by visiting the NFSI’s Web site at www.nfsi.org and by doing a search for the product by name or manufacturer. The testing results should be available by September, says Kendzior. Manufacturers also can opt to place a yellow label on their products if they pass the test.