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Gallery: Graduation Commencement Speeches

Constructor University (formerly, Jacobs University Bremen Germany) Graduation Band: “Freebird”

Intercollegiate Studies Institute | What Makes the West Strong (Sir Roger Scruton)

Schenkingen

“The secret of great fortunes without apparent cause

is a crime forgotten, for it was properly done.”

— Honoré de Balzac’

Are they hedge funds with a side hustle in teaching, research and building construction? Are they tricked out memorial gardens for philanthropists? In either case leaders of educational settlements are expected to act in the best interests of both their institution and their donors, and to maintain high standards of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct when accepting charitable gifts.

University endowments are comprised of money or other financial assets that are donated to academic institutions. Charitable donations are the primary source of funds for endowments. Endowment funds support the teaching, research, and public service missions of colleges and universities.

In the case of endowment funds for academic institutions, the income generated is intended to finance a portion of the operating or capital requirements of the institution. In addition to a general university endowment fund, institutions may also maintain a number of restricted endowments that are intended to fund specific areas within the institution, including professorships, scholarships, and fellowships.

More

Council on Foundations

2021 NACUBO-TIAA Study of Endowments

University of Michigan: Policy Guidelines for Naming of Facilities, Spaces and Streets

University of Buffalo: Naming University Properties, Facilities, and Academic and Non-Academic Programs

Northern Arizona University: Naming of Facilities, Programmatic Units, or Fund for Individuals or Organizations

Dematerialization

Digital Campus

Dartmouth University Endowment Report 2023

https://www.dartmouth.edu/investments/docs/dartmouthendowmentreport2023.pdf

 

The largest philanthropic gift ever given to a United States college or university is the donation of $9.6 billion made by MacKenzie Scott to various organizations, including several universities, in 2020. Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, made the donation as part of her commitment to give away the majority of her wealth to charitable causes. The universities that received donations from Scott include historically black colleges and universities, community colleges, and research universities such as the University of California, San Diego, and Johns Hopkins University. The donation was considered significant not only for its size but also for its focus on supporting organizations that serve underrepresented and marginalized communities.

There are several standards and best practices that are generally followed by universities and colleges when accepting charitable gifts. These standards are designed to ensure that the gift is used effectively and that the interests of both the donor and the institution are protected. Some of the key standards include:

  1. Transparency and accountability: Universities and colleges are expected to be transparent about how gifts are used and to provide regular reports to donors on the impact of their gifts.
  2. Due diligence: Universities and colleges are expected to conduct due diligence on potential donors to ensure that their gifts do not create conflicts of interest or ethical concerns.
  3. Gift acceptance policies: Many universities and colleges have established gift acceptance policies that outline the types of gifts that will be accepted and the procedures for accepting them.
  4. Donor recognition: Universities and colleges are expected to recognize donors in an appropriate and meaningful way, while avoiding actions that could be seen as an endorsement of the donor’s business or political interests.
  5. Ethical fundraising: Universities and colleges are expected to follow ethical fundraising practices, including avoiding pressure tactics or misleading information, and ensuring that donors are aware of any tax implications of their gifts.

Overall, universities and colleges are expected to act in the best interests of both their institution and their donors, and to maintain high standards of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct when accepting charitable gifts.

Infotech 300

Turkey Pot Pie Soup

Cornell University Dining: Student & Campus Life

Number of servings per recipe: 8

Number of servings per recipe: 8

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups turkey stock
  • 4 cups fat free milk
  • 2 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 8 oz frozen peas and carrots
  • 1 teaspoon turkey bullion
  • 2 medium potatoes, cubed small
  • 16 oz cooked turkey breast, diced small or shredded

Directions:

  • 1.Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold broth with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
  • 2.Pour remaining broth and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil.
  • 3.Add celery, onion, mushrooms, parsley, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables, and bullion, and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
  • 4.Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  • 5.Add turkey, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

*Recipe from Skinny Taste

Nutrition Information: 1 1/3 cups| servings per recipe: 8 | Calories: 192, total fat: 2 g, saturated fat: 0 g, trans fat: 0 g; cholesterol: 1.3 mg, sodium: 159 mg, carbohydrates: 27 g, fiber: 8.3 g, sugar: 8.5 g, protein: 18 g

Standards New York

Outdoor Lighting Design Guide

 

Late Night Breakfast

Standards Minnesota

Minnesota

 

Designing Lighting for People and Buildings

 

Public Consultation on IES RP-6 Recommended Practice: Lighting Sports and Recreational Areas closes October 7

Sport Lighting

“Electrical Building World’s Columbian Exposition Chicago 1892

Today we feature the catalog of the Illumination Engineering Society — one of the first names in standards-setting in illumination technology, globally* with particular interest in its leading title IES LP-1 | LIGHT + DESIGN Lighting Practice: Designing Quality Lighting for People and Buildings.

From its prospectus:

“…LIGHT + DESIGN was developed to introduce architects, lighting designers, design engineers, interior designers, and other lighting professionals to the principles of quality lighting design. These principles; related to visual performance, energy, and economics; and aesthetics; can be applied to a wide range of interior and exterior spaces to aid designers in providing high-quality lighting to their projects.

Stakeholders: Architects, interior designers, lighting practitioners, building owners/operators, engineers, the general public, luminaire manufacturers.  This standard focuses on design principles and defines key technical terms and includes technical background to aid understanding for the designer as well as the client about the quality of the lighted environment. Quality lighting enhances our ability to see and interpret the world around us, supporting our sense of well-being, and improving our capability to communicate with each other….”

The entire catalog is linked below:

IES Lighting Library

Illumination technologies run about 30 percent of the energy load in a building and require significant human resources at the workpoint — facility managers, shop foremen, front-line operations and maintenance personnel, design engineers and sustainability specialists.  The IES has one of the easier platforms for user-interest participation:

IES Standards Open for Public Review

Because the number of electrotechnology standards run in the thousands and are in continual motion* we need an estimate of user-interest in any title before we formally request a redline because the cost of obtaining one in time to make meaningful contributions will run into hundreds of US dollars; apart from the cost of obtaining a current copy.

We maintain the IES catalog on the standing agendas of our Electrical, Illumination and Energy colloquia.   Additionally, we collaborate with experts active in the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets online 4 times monthly in European and American time zones; all colloquia online and open to everyone.   Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page to join us.

Issue: [Various}

Category: Electrical, Energy, Illumination, Facility Asset Management

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Gary Fox, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Glenn Keates, Daleep Mohla, Giuseppe Parise, Georges Zissis

*  “Brownian Motion” comes to mind because of the speed and interdependencies.

“Season of Light Illumination”

 

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History of Western Civilization Told Through the Acoustics of its Worship Spaces

 

Abstract.  Insights into the history and future of western civilization are found by applying information theory to the acoustical communication channel (ACC) of its worship spaces. Properties of the ACC have both influenced and reflected the choice of message coding (e.g., speech or music) at various times. Speech coding is efficient for acoustically dry ACCs, but hopeless for highly time-dispersive ACCs. Music coding is appropriate for time dispersive (reverberant) ACCs. The ACCs of synagogues, early Christian house churches, and many Protestant churches are relatively acoustically “dry” and thus well suited to spoken liturgies.

The spoken liturgy, dominant in synagogues, was carried over to early Christian churches, but became unworkable in Constantinian cathedrals and was largely replaced with a musical liturgy. After a millennium, the cathedral acoustic was altered to suit the doctrinal needs of reformation churches with its renewed emphasis on the spoken word. Worship forms continue to change, and the changes are reflected in the properties of the ACC. The pulpits of electronic churches may be evolving into radio and television performance spaces and naves into worshipers’ living rooms.

CLICK IMAGE

Evensong “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”

Sacred Spaces

National Youth Choir of Scotland “Love Divine”

Du froid

“Weather is fate”

— Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu

“Road to Versailles at Louveciennes” 1869 Camille Pissarro

Heat tracing is a process used to maintain or raise the temperature of pipes and vessels in order to prevent freezing, maintain process temperature, or ensure that products remain fluid and flow through the system properly.  Without electric heat tracing; much of the earth would be uninhabitable.

Heat tracing works by using an electric heating cable or tape that is wrapped around the pipe or vessel, and then insulated to help retain the heat. The heating cable is connected to a power source and temperature control system that maintains the desired temperature by regulating the amount of heat output from the cable. Heat tracing is commonly used in industrial applications where temperature control is critical, such as in chemical plants, refineries, and oil and gas facilities.

There are several types of heat tracing, including electric heat tracing, steam tracing, and hot water tracing, each of which have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. The selection of the appropriate type of heat tracing depends on the specific application and the required temperature range, as well as factors such as cost, maintenance, and safety considerations.

Heat Tracing for Piping Specification | NECA Standards (N.B. Link unstable)

2026 NEC CMP-17 Public Input Report | 2026 NEC CMP-17 Second Draft Report

Northern Michigan University | Marquette County

Today we review the literature for snow and ice management (and enjoyment) produced by these standards-setting organizations:

Accredited Snow Contractors Association

American Society of Civil Engineers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASTM International

FM Global

Destructive Deep Freeze Strikes Cold and Hot Regions Alike

Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers

Electrical Heat Tracing: International Harmonization — Now and in the Future

International Code Council

International Building Code: Chapter 15 Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures

National Electrical Contractors Association

National Fire Protection Association

Winter is Coming: Is Your Facility Protected? (Holly Burgess, November 2022)

National Electrical Code: Articles 426-427

National Floor Safety Institute

Snow and Ice Management Association

Underwriters Laboratories

Manufacturers:

Chromalox Electrical Heat Tracing Systems Design Guide


It is a surprisingly large domain with market-makers in every dimension of safety and sustainability; all of whom are bound by state and federal regulations.

Join us at 16:00 UTC with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.


There have been several recent innovations that have made it possible for construction activity to continue through cold winter months. Some of the most notable ones include:

  1. Heated Job Site Trailers: These trailers are equipped with heating systems that keep workers warm and comfortable while they take breaks or work on plans. This helps to keep morale up and prevent cold-related health issues.
  2. Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs): ICFs are prefabricated blocks made of foam insulation that are stacked together to form the walls of a building. The foam insulation provides an extra layer of insulation to keep the building warm during cold winter months.
  3. Warm-Mix Asphalt (WMA): WMA is a type of asphalt that is designed to be used in colder temperatures than traditional hot-mix asphalt. This allows road construction crews to work through the winter months without having to worry about the asphalt cooling and becoming unusable.
  4. Pneumatic Heaters: These heaters are used to warm up the ground before concrete is poured. This helps to prevent the concrete from freezing and becoming damaged during the winter months.
  5. Electrically Heated Mats: These mats are placed on the ground to prevent snow and ice from accumulating. This helps to make the job site safer and easier to work on during the winter months.

Overall, these innovations have made it possible for construction crews to work through the winter months more comfortably and safely, which has helped to keep projects on schedule and minimize delays.

Somewhat related:

Why so much slip and fall attorney advertisements after SCOTUS Bates v. State Bar of Arizona (1977)

Electrical heat tracing: international harmonization-now and in the future

 

 

 

Clearing a Path on Campus

Standards Ohio

 

 

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