Pagemike@standardsmichigan.com, Author at Standards Michigan

Patents data at a glance

Patents data at a glance June 2026

We celebrated our nation’s 250th birthday at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Director John A. Squires spent time at our exhibit and thanks all who visited. There is still time to come see us and learn about American innovation. pic.twitter.com/yNoVsAo5Ua

— USPTO (@uspto) July 6, 2026

Many universities support patent filing for students and faculty through their Technology Transfer Offices or Offices of Technology Commercialization. This often includes covering or reimbursing patent costs, especially if the university owns or co-owns the IP. Some also offer dedicated “gap,” “proof-of-concept,” or “innovation” funds.

University of Michigan — Innovation Partnerships
University of Minnesota — Early Innovation Fund: Competitive grants up to $10K for early-stage innovations (open to faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and staff).
University of Rochester — Technology Development Fund: Supports researchers translating inventions toward commercial opportunities, including patent-related activities.
University of Notre Dame — Berthiaume Institute Technology Development Fund: Awards for precision health and related innovations.
University of Utah — Ascender Grant program: Substantial funding to bridge research discoveries toward market readiness (including IP protection).
Boston University — Technology Development office supports the full process from idea to patent filing.

Note: Support is common at major research universities with active TTOs (e.g., University of California system, MIT, Stanford). Always check the specific TTO or IP policy for eligibility.

2026 National Patent Application Drafting Competition (Results)

Intellectual Property 101

School Bonds Michigan

Ballotpedia

Exterior Appearance of a One Room School House

History of One Room Schools | Central Michigan University

School Construction Bonds Confirmed for August 2026 Election Referenda

School District	Amount	Election Date
Harper Creek Community Schools (Calhoun County, MI)	$28,000,000	Aug 4, 2026
Homer Community School District (Calhoun County, MI)	$11,920,000	Aug 4, 2026

For reasons that may be obvious, construction companies make markets with their public relation enterprises.

Triangle Construction

About

Why the 10-Year Treasury Note Matters to School Bonds

The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note is the principal benchmark for long-term borrowing throughout the American economy, including the municipal bond market that finances schools, colleges, and universities. When Treasury yields rise, investors generally expect higher returns from tax-exempt school bonds as well. To attract buyers, educational institutions must offer higher interest rates, increasing the cost of financing new classrooms, laboratories, residence halls, athletic facilities, and utility infrastructure.

Conversely, when 10-year Treasury yields decline, borrowing costs often ease, enabling school districts and universities to finance capital improvements at lower interest expense and reducing the long-term burden on taxpayers or tuition revenue. Although the final interest rate on any bond issue also reflects the issuer’s credit quality, market demand, insurance, and overall economic conditions, daily movements in the 10-year Treasury yield remain one of the most closely watched indicators of the direction and relative cost of educational facility financing.

As a rule of thumb, every 0.25 percentage point (25 basis point) increase in the borrowing rate adds about $25,000 per year in interest for every $10 million of outstanding principal.

Albert Kahn detail at the Alexander G. Ruthven Building at the University of Michigan

Timon of Athens

The Oxford Union Debating Society, founded in 1823, is one of the world’s most prestigious debating societies, affiliated with the University of Oxford. It has hosted numerous influential speakers and debates, including historical figures like Winston Churchill and Malcolm X. Over the years, it has played a vital role in shaping public discourse and fostering critical thinking among students. The society’s iconic debating chamber and rich tradition of lively debates have made it an enduring institution in the world of debate and public speaking.

“In an era of cancellation and defenestration we sometimes forget that we both cannot go on like this and that we have been here before. We know this because our greatest writers and artists have addressed this question in their own times.

When Roger [Scrouton] was going through his own battle with the shallows I often thought of Shakespeare’s rarely performed but great play Timon of Athens. Timon has the whole world before him. He is surrounded by friends and admirers. He is generous to all. Yet he falls on hard times and when he does absolutely everybody deserts him. He is left with nothing and nobody, and risks being filled with despair and rage. It does not help that he is shadowed by the cynical philosopher Apemantus, who has warned him that just such a desertion might occur.”

— Douglas Murray

Collier County Florida

Interactive Campus Map | The Institute for Sacred Architecture: Everglade Oratory

Standards Florida

Ave Maria University was founded by Tom Monaghan, the founder of Michigan-based Domino’s Pizza, whose Catholic faith—rooted in his orphanage upbringing under nurturing nuns—drove a vision to renew faithful Catholic higher education amid secular trends and doctrinal challenges in existing institutions.

After selling Domino’s in 1998, Monaghan founded Ave Maria Institute (later College) in Ypsilanti, Michigan, that year, committing hundreds of millions to create an authentically Catholic liberal arts university loyal to the Church’s magisterium.Development accelerated in 2003 with a move to an interim Florida campus, followed by the permanent site in Ave Maria Town (2007), built on donated land from the Barron Collier family and Monaghan’s initial $250 million+ investment.

The university emphasizes faith-integrated academics to form ethical leaders. Under Monaghan’s ongoing stewardship as founder and chancellor, he has guided its growth, emphasizing Catholic identity, leadership formation, and cultural renewal, while transitioning day-to-day operations to presidents while remaining actively involved in its mission.

This is your moment: bring it to the world! Registration is OPEN for Ave Maria University’s Summer Leadership Conference. Join high school juniors and seniors from across the country for a week of formation, community, and unforgettable joy. Rising high school juniors and… pic.twitter.com/IE9PKGmmlu

— Ave Maria University (@avemariauniv) January 8, 2026

Founder’s Choice

Fontaines

Water fountains enhance campus outdoor settings by creating serene, inviting spaces that promote relaxation and social interaction. Their gentle sounds of flowing water reduce stress, mask noise, and foster a calming atmosphere conducive to study or reflection.

Aesthetically, fountains serve as focal points, adding elegance and visual appeal to courtyards or green spaces. They attract students, faculty, and visitors, encouraging gatherings and community engagement. Environmentally, fountains can support local ecosystems by providing water for birds or plants.

Well-maintained, they symbolize a campus’s commitment to beauty and sustainability, enriching the outdoor experience and enhancing the overall campus ambiance.

“At the Water Trough” 1876 J. Alden Weir

Indiana State University

Ithaca College

Harvard University

Lunds Universitet

University of Louisville Kentucky

Florida Southern College

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Michigan State University

University of Albany

Florida State University

Eastern Kentucky University

University of Texas Austin

Mineral Area College Missouri

Henry Ford College

California Institute of Technology

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

University of New Mexico

Regent University

Iowa State University

Berry College

Indiana University

University of Southern California

Furman University

University of Washington

Western Michigan University

Missouri State University

University of Michigan

Water 100

Dawn Chorus: Bird Song

“Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.”

— Psalm 108:2

Standards New York | ♡ Homophily New York ♡

Animal Welfare Act (AWA) Regulations for Birds (9 CFR Part 3, Subpart G)

@CornellPondCam End of day at Sapsucker Woods … pic.twitter.com/zbE5BMEZlp

— susan dimitrakopoulos (@nightsky333) November 10, 2020

University Policy 1.2: Research Integrity

Terrestrial Animal Health Code

Animal Safety

Cornell University’s status as a land-grant institution, coupled with its location in Ithaca, far from New York’s urban centers, fosters a campus atmosphere of grounded normalcy. As a land-grant university, Cornell emphasizes practical education, research, and outreach, rooted in its mission to serve the public good. This ethos cultivates a community focused on collaboration and accessibility rather than elitism.

Ithaca’s rural setting, surrounded by gorges and rolling hills, creates a tight-knit, insulated environment where students engage deeply with academics and each other without the distractions of a bustling city. The slower pace encourages a balanced lifestyle, with traditions like Slope Day and local eateries fostering camaraderie. The lack of urban pressures allows for a focus on intellectual curiosity and personal connections, while diverse student organizations and cooperative extension programs reinforce a sense of purpose and community, grounding Cornell’s atmosphere in authenticity and approachability.

Camerapoint

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Home Economics

Today at the usual hour we review the standards, codes, regulations and best practice literature for the safety and sustainability of facilities for teaching skills needed for supporting families.

You could hear a pin drop in this room 📌 So focused practicing for their exam 🧑🏻‍🍳 pic.twitter.com/lHw20avgnL

— Miss Dunne (@MissDunne1042) December 3, 2024

Inglenook

Salutariness | Fashion

Commercial Kitchens

Life Safety Code

Electrical Safety

Energy Standard for *Sites* and Buildings

Current Issues & Recent Research

What the University of Michigan has done to reduce the life cycle cost of the real assets of educational settlements in the USA

What is Happening to the Family, and Why?

Iced Coffee: Summer Only or Year Round?

Investing in Purdue’s Future: Major Capital Project 2024 | Standards Indiana

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Terrifying Theory of Stupidity

The Iced Coffee Hour: The Most Terrifying IQ Statistics | Jordan Peterson

Neil Armstrong: Moon Walker. Innovator. Boilermaker.

When it comes to space exploration, Purdue University stands out — 27 astronauts strong. Neil Armstrong (BS aeronautical engineering ’55) was the first person to walk on the moon. Eugene Cernan (BS electrical engineering ’56)… pic.twitter.com/qDHv71NEqK

— Purdue Engineering (@PurdueEngineers) August 5, 2024

Found this photo with my sister… and it took me back. Remember when beauty was just how we lived? No filters— just real smiles 💛 pic.twitter.com/yQ159KvZqa

— G-MA & G-PA (@GPAIndiana) May 24, 2026

Nourriture d’été

University of Vermont | Chittenden County

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

Today we break down the catalog for food safety in education communities; with primary attention to consultations from private standard developing organizations and federal agencies charged with food safety. We do so with sensitivity to animals and plants and sustainability of the global food supply chain. Many schools are the communal cafeterias for the communities that own and operate them and run at commercial scale.

We prepare responses to public consultations released by standards developing organizations which, in many cases, have significant conformance enterprises. Core titles are published by the ANSI accredited organizations listed below:

3-A Sanitary Standards

Catalog

ASHRAE International

The ASHRAE catalog is the most cross-cutting and fastest moving catalog in the land. If you claim ownership of the United States energy domain you pretty much capture everything related campus safety and sustainability. Best to deal with it on a day-by-day basis as we usually do according to daily topics shown on our CALENDAR.

Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

National Electrical Safety Code (Our particular interest lies in the safety and reliability of off-campus agricultural and research facilities that receive power from regulated utilities)

Kitchen Safety and Security System for Children

TupperwareEarth: Bringing Intelligent User Assistance to the “Internet of Kitchen Things”

Designing an IoT based Kitchen Monitoring and Automation System for Gas and Fire Detection

Re-Inventing the Food Supply Chain with IoT: A Data-Driven Solution to Reduce Food Loss

International Code Council

Commercial Kitchens

International Building Code Assembly Group A-2

International Building Code Group U Section 312 Agricultural Buildings

International Building Code Moderate Hazard Factory Industrial Group F-1 (Food Processing)

Who Gets Rich From School Lunch

National Fire Protection Association

Kitchen Wiring

National Electrical Code Article 210 (Branch Circuits)

National Electrical Code Article 547 (Agricultural Buildings)

Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems

Public Input Report for the 2024 Revision

Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations

Public Input Report for the 2024 Revision

NSF International

Food Equipment

Commercial Warewashing Equipment

Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers

Commercial Cooking, Rethermalization and Powered Hot Food Holding and Transport Equipment

Commercial Powered Food Preparation Equipment

US Federal Government:

US Department of Agriculture

Food & Drug Administration (HACCP)

State Governments:

Lorem ipsum @StandardsState

Global:

International Organization for Standardization

International Electrotechnical Commission

Codex Alimentarius

Food safety and sustainability standards populate are of the largest domains we track so if we need a break0-out session, let’s do it. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.