Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

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Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

May 29, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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Standards IowaIowa Facilities Management“John Francis Rague– Pioneer Architect of Iowa”

Other Breakfast Recipes

American Sign Language Coffee Chat | Iowa College of Liberal Arts & Sciences


Library of Congress: Scandinavian Migration to “New Sweden, Iowa”

FinTech 200

May 29, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“The most important role of technology is to create time.

Information technology epitomizes this role.

And wealth creation is ultimately about time,

freeing human time from labor.”

— George Gilder

L’italiano Luca Pacioli, riconosciuto come “Il padre della contabilità e della contabilità” è stato il primo a pubblicare un’opera sulla partita doppia, e ha introdotto il campo in Italia.

 

“Hatred of the rich is the

beginning of all wisdom” 

— H.L. Mencken

 

Today we break down the literature that informs the finances of the real assets of education settlements.   We examine a few publicly available university annual budget documents and, lately, have been looking ahead at innovation in distributed ledger solutions, digital currencies and blue sky conceptions of a circular economy which has captured the imagination of trendsniffers in every nation.

Since our 2016 estimate of $300 billion — triangulated from several private and public databases; the number that measures construction spend coupled with operations and maintenance — a fair estimate of growth is likely closer to  $500 billion now.  Based upon the US Census Bureau monthly construction spend reports we have seen a slight uptick in construction spend. We still see construction activity running at an $85-$90 billion clip.

Ædificare & Utilization

Tax-Free Bonds

Schenkingen

During 2024-2025 we will be breaking down this subject into manageable segments as interest in it clarifies.  For now it is enlightening to approach finance standards with an examination of a few operating budgets:

University of Michigan Budget Book 2024

Harvard University Budget Overview: September 2023

University of Minnesota 2022 Final Capital Budget Requests with Governor’s Recommendations

The 2022-2023 Budget: Overview of the Governor’s Higher Education Budget Proposals (California)

Prince George County Public Schools Operating Budget 2022 

University of Illinois Deferred Maintenance 

Central Michigan University Capital & Deferred Maintenance Budgets

Every dollar passing through the business or academic side of the education industry has rules for how it is received and tracked.*   At the moment we track, but do not dwell, on the grant management standards asserted by state and federal funding agencies.  When we do, we place them on the agenda of the appropriate colloquium.

Appropriate use of public funding underlies some — but not all — of the accounting burden of the education industry. We steer clear of the grant management requirements public funding agencies place upon the education industry; maintain focus on the titles developed and published by organizations that have a due process platform.  For example:

Accredited Standards Committee X9

Financial Industry Standards: Program of Work

Preparing for the Quantum Era

Open-IX Association

Data Center OIX-2 Certification

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

X12 Incorporated

There are several trackworthy non-ANSI accredited standard developing organizations:

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

FASB/GASB

Public Consultation of Implementation (This statement fairly compares with ANSI’s Due Process Guidance.   Comments due January 20, 2023)

Real Estate Information Standards Board

Kuznets curve

 

Send bella@standardsmichigan.com an email for a detailed advance agenda.  To join the colloquium today use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

“De armen en het geld” 1882 Vincent van Gogh

Schenkingen


More:

Opinion AGB: What Do Our Accreditors, Auditors, and Bond Raters Do for Us?

Community FY22 Appropriations Request Letterdocx

PFN_InfraInvLtr_June 2021

Letter-Tax-Provisions-American-Jobs-Families-Plans-061421

Half the people working in schools aren’t classroom teachers—so what?

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR DOWNLOAD


Syllabus: Fintech 100

*Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

A Blockchain-based decentralised university

May 29, 2025
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Blockchain is a decentralized, immutable, and transparent digital ledger that securely records and verifies transactions across multiple computers or nodes. It operates through a network of participants who collectively validate and store each transaction, creating a chain of interconnected blocks. Each block contains a unique cryptographic hash that links it to the previous block, ensuring data integrity.

The distributed nature of blockchain eliminates the need for intermediaries, increases security, and fosters trust among participants. It has applications beyond cryptocurrencies, enabling efficient and reliable solutions in various industries such as finance, supply chain management, healthcare, education and accreditation.

John Domingue | TEDxOpenUniversity:

“I believe that with blockchain technology we can create a radically new type of university: a DAO University. A DAO is a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation which operates with no central control and no humans in the loop and are based on Smart Contracts: pieces of computer code on a blockchain which can represent and enact financial and legal contracts. ”

 

 

Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quixote): “Ladran Sancho, señal que cabalgamos”  

Let the dogs bark Sancho, it is a sign that we’re moving forward.”

Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies

Accreditation 200

Current Projects

May 29, 2025
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We track action in the catalog of this consortia standards developer because we continually seek ways to avoid spending a dollar to save a dime; characteristic of an industry that is a culture more than it is a business.

 

While not an ANSI accredited the FASB/GASB standards setting enterprise’s due process requirements (balance, open-ness, appeal, etc.)* are “ANSI-like” and widely referenced in education enterprise management best practice.  Recent action in its best practice bibliography is listed below

ACCOUNTING STANDARDS UPDATES ISSUED

For obvious reasons, we have an interest in its titles relevant to Not-For-Profit Entities

WHAT IS THE FASB NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITY TEAM

At present the non-profit titles are stable with the 2020 revision.  That does not mean there is not work than can be done.  Faculty and students may be interested in the FASG program linked below:

Academics in Standard Setting

Also, the “Accounting for Environmental Credit Programs”, last updated in January, may interest colleges and universities with energy and sustainability curricula.  You may track progress at the link below:

EXPOSURE DOCUMENTS OPEN FOR COMMENT

The Battle about Money

We encourage our colleagues to communicate directly with the FASB on any issue (Click here).   Other titles in the FASB/GASB best practice bibliography are a standing item on our Finance colloquia; open to everyone.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

 

Issue: [15-190]

Category: Finance, Administration & Management, Facility Asset Management

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben


Workspace / FASB GASB

On Democracies and Death Cults

May 29, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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An Expanded Study of School Bond Elections in Michigan

May 29, 2025
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Gallery: School Bond Referenda

As of January 2022, there were a few municipalities in the United States that allowed non-citizens to vote in local elections, but no entire states. These municipalities included:

San Francisco, California: Non-citizens are allowed to vote in school board elections.
Chicago, Illinois: Non-citizens are allowed to vote in school board elections.
Takoma Park, Maryland: Non-citizens are allowed to vote in local elections.

It’s worth noting that these policies may change over time as local governments make decisions regarding voting rights. For the most up-to-date information, it’s best to consult the specific laws and regulations of each municipality or state.

"Election Day, 1944" | Norman Rockwell for the Saturday Evening Post

“Election Day, 1944” | Norman Rockwell for the Saturday Evening Post

School bond elections — either at county or district level — are processes through which communities vote to authorize the issuance of bonds to fund various projects and improvements in their local school districts.  The elections determine the quality of educational settlements –new school buildings, renovating existing facilities, upgrading technology, and improving safety measures. The outcomes of these elections directly affect the quality of education and learning environments for students within the county. Successful bond measures can stimulate economic growth by creating jobs and attracting families to the area.

Community involvement and voter turnout are essential in determining the allocation of resources and shaping the quality of life for its citizens.  In recent years, however, voter ambivalence about the education “industry” in general, the rise of home schooling and other cultural factors, complicate choices presented to voters.

Financial Services

Gallery: School Bond Referenda

May 29, 2025
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In terms of total spend, the US elementary and secondary school industry is about twice the size of the higher education industry according to IBISWorld. About $100 billion is in play every year for both (which we cover during our Ædificare colloquia); with higher education spending only half of what elementary and secondary school systems spend on facilities.

Note that some districts are including construction for faculty housing.

Our focus remains on applying global standard to create educational settlements that are safer, simpler, lower-cost and longer-lasting — not on the hurly-burly of local school bond elections.  We recommend consulting the coverage in American School & University for more detailed and more timely information.




Redivivus

May 28, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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Today we pick through the literature for best practice in recycling enterprises in education communities.  We have been keeping pace with the evolution of regulations in this domain for over 15 years now.  Much like the security zietgeist the number of organizations involved in standards setting and conformance will likely surprise you.  It is a cross cutting topic with a growing body of expert agencies claiming some part of the domain.

We will also pick through a few representative legislative proposals.   Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Art Wall from Recycled Materials 2017 Barbara Rucci

Cloud based smart recycling bin for waste classification

Research on recycling of industrial waste

Smart Recycling Machine to collect the wasted Non-woven Fabric Face Mask

Curriculum for Effective Recycling

Readings / Evaluating Water-Damaged Electrical Equipment


*May 10, 2021

We have been keeping pace with the evolution of regulations in this domain for over 15 years now.  Hydra-like growth in policy think tanks and standards-developing organizations expanding into this domain will likely surprise you.  For example, in no particular order:

College and University Recycling Association

NSF International Joint Committee on Environmental Leadership Standard for Servers

Sustainability Leadership for Photovoltaic Modules

Reconditioned Electrical Equipment

Sustainable Electronics Recycling International

Environmental Protection Agency: Land, Waste, and Cleanup Topics

As in other domains, the private standards system competes with government “influencers” and incumbent proxies who make markets through legislation.

Specific requirements must be met for recycling to be economically feasible and environmentally effective. These include an adequate source of recyclates, a system to extract those recyclates from the waste stream, a nearby factory capable of reprocessing the recyclates, and a potential demand for the recycled products. These last two requirements are often overlooked—without both an industrial market for production using the collected materials and a consumer market for the manufactured goods, recycling is incomplete and in fact only “collection”.

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