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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”.

Electronic Equipment Recycling

May 28, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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The Impact of E-Waste / Student Art Guide

We are observers in the development of a new ANSI accredited electronic equipment recycling standard  produced with the leadership of NSF International; a Michigan-based standards developer (founded at the University of Michigan) not far from our own offices and one of the largest in the world. 

The electronic recycling space is growing quickly — reaching far upstream the value chain into how electronic equipment is designed in the first place.  An overview of the project is available in the link below:

Joint Committee on Environmental Leadership Standard for Servers

A public edition is linked below:

NSF/ANSI 426 – 2019 Environmental Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility Assessment of Servers

This standard moved swiftly to market under NSF International’s continuous maintenance process.  We bring it to the attention of the education facilities industry as a recommendation for lowering #TotalCostofOwnership.   Participation as a User interest in American national standards development reduces “wheel reinvention” in which many recycling workgroups unnecessarily start from scratch, eliminates the need to attend costly workshops hosted by trade associations and significantly minimizes destructive competition.  

This title is on the standing agenda of our Redivivus colloquium.   Since our interest lies primarily with electrotechnology we collaborate with the IEEE Standards Association.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

 

Issue: [14-74], [15-147], [15-148]

Category: Electrical, Telecommunications, Interior 

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Richard Robben

Archive / NSF 426 Electronic Equipment Recycling

 

 

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