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APPA Institute (The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers) - Resource for Facility Managers

APPA: The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers

1643 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2818
For more information about APPA education programs, please write to the:
Director of Education.
Web Site Address: www.appa.org

The Institute for Facilities Management
The goal of the APPA Institute is to promote and maintain professional standards and sound management practices by:

• Providing a comprehensive core of instruction in the fundamental areas of facilities and related operations management;
• Promoting opportunities for professional growth, skill improvement, and career development to both experienced facilities administrators as well as advancing administrators seeking to expand their knowledge of the full range of facilities functions;
• Presenting a variety of information on the application of new techniques and technologies that represent the best contemporary practices within the field of facilities management; and
• Offering a series of special programs that provide in-depth instruction to specialized segments or functions in the administration of college and university facilities operations.

The Three-Track Institute Program
The Institute has been designed as a three-track progressive program beginning at a basic level of facilities management and building to a more technical and advanced level of management skills. The intention of the program is to provide a comprehensive base of knowledge over a three-time attendance period. Upon completion of the three-track program, an individual graduates from the Institute. Since this is a progressive program, individuals are encouraged to begin their training in Program 1.

All management levels within the facilities organization will benefit from attendance at the Institute. The coursework provides an overall look at facilities management including terminology, basic system operations, management concepts, and current issues, and it combines classroom learning with practical experience. The Institute also promotes networking with colleagues to share ideas and experiences.

In an effort to tailor the program to the special needs of administrators at small college/university campuses, there is a second section of both Programs 1 and 2 geared toward the small college. These courses are generally taught by small college administrators who address the problems a small institution faces, such as limited staffing, financial considerations, and limited resources.

Program 1 - Managing Basic Physical Plant Operations:
A general introduction to the basics of facilities management, programs, and systems. Focus on the primary operating systems in plant operations and basic principles of managing people.

Program 2 - Physical Plant Management Programs and Systems:
Examines in-depth plant operating systems and their more advanced functions. Management sessions center on development and motivation of staff.

Program 3 - Contemporary Issues in Facilities Management:
This program is designed to provide information and offer solutions on current major issues of concern to senior facilities officers.

Special Programs

• Asbestos Awareness
• Understanding the New OSHA
• Air Compliance
• Hazardous Waste

Regulatory Compliance Issues.
This special program gives you practical advice on how to comply with ever-changing environmental and OSHA rules and how to limit your institution's exposure to penalties and liabilities.

Planning, Design, and Construction.
This program covers project planning, design phase management, contract administration, and project commissioning with attention to legal issues and renovation projects.

Environmental Compliance.
APPA is planning to provide a series of training seminars on environmental compliance issues. Training sessions are available on the following subjects:

Training classes are designed to be delivered to you at your convenience. If you are interested in hosting a half-day seminar at your institution, please contact Kathy Smith, APPA Director of Education at 703-684-1446 x 231; ksmith@appa.org or Diana Tringali, Director of Member Services at 703-684-1446 x 228; diana@appa.org to make arrangements. Training sessions need to have a minimum of 25 people in attendance to be cost effective. Costs range $99 - 129/per person.

APPA Training Package
If your college or university is like most, your facilities management operation is facing serious budget cuts, shrinking human resources, and growing demands to do more with less. Highly trained, skillful supervisors are essential to meet these challenges. But those same budget cuts have probably eliminated your travel budget and severely curtailed training resources. Your facility supervisors are unable to attend valuable training seminars training that can save your institution money in the long run.

What can you do?
Here's an exciting alternative from APPA: Basic Tools for Facility Supervisors is a comprehensive, 32-hour training and development package. With Basic Tools, you can train supervisors and staff on site with videotapes, workbooks, discussion guides, and a detailed instructor's manual. The cost is far less than travel plus seminars, and you can:

• Present them whenever and wherever it's convenient
• Use them again and again, as required.

Most importantly, the material in Basic Tools for Facility Supervisors will make a measurable difference in your supervisor's skills and abilities. Most front-line supervisors have come up from the ranks, with little formal training to help them make the transition from worker to manager. With this program, you can give them a whole new set of skills to become good supervisors.

Basic Tools for Facilities Supervisors was created by APPA: 
The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers in partnership with Ogden Services Corporation. It has been specifically tailored for educational facilities administrators, framing proven management principles within the context of facilities operations. The clearly written, step-by-step guide and multimedia approach makes this practical information easily accessible to supervisors and staff.

The content of Basic Tools is presented in seven modules. Each is practical and clearly structured, but has an open-ended quality that allows participants to fully develop their personal and professional potential.

• Module I: The Changing Job of Supervision: Give participants an understanding of today's higher education facilities supervisor. Teach them to assess their own job performance, recognize the impact of perceptions on performance, and identify opportunities and barriers to effective supervision.
• Module II: Building Effective Internal and External Relationships: Focus on developing interpersonal skills and creating a cooperative work environment. Give participants tips on how to make the transition from worker to supervisor and teach them to understand internal and external customer relationships.
• Module III: Getting to Know Your Employees: Explain how to identify employee's needs and wants, and how to work effectively with peers. Give participants an understanding of motivation theory and teach them how to use recognition to spur positive performance.
• Module IV: Basic Labor Relations: Teach supervisors how to apply basic labor relations principles to resolve conflicts, and techniques to minimize disciplinary problems.
• Module V: Goal Setting: Demonstrate how goal setting affects performance. Go beyond theory to show participants how to use a systematic method for setting concrete performance goals with their employees.
• Module VI: Communications: Teach supervisors how to influence people through effective communication, and to identify the causes and solutions of oral communication problems. Develop such skills as active listening and giving effective feedback.
• Module VII: Leadership: Teach participants to understand their leadership style and to apply situational leadership techniques on the job. Help them develop skills in team building, delegation, training, coaching, and counseling.

An effective supervisor means a productive, efficient staff and a well run facilities operation. Don't rely on "seat of the pants" training to meet these goals. Order Basic Tools for Facility Supervisors from APPA today, simply by returning the attached form. You'll see the difference in your supervisors, your staff, and most importantly your budget's bottom line.

Partnerships in Education Training Series (PETS)

"I would love to offer my staff the training opportunities they need, but our budget is too small to send people to out-of-state sessions. Besides, I need my staff here on campus."

Sound familiar? While the need for education and training grows constantly, the money available to fund it continues to shrink. Seminar fees, transportation, room, and meals, add up, and most facilities personnel are up to their eyeballs in work. There's little time for training.

PETS--Partnerships in Educational Training Series--is APPA's solution to the training/education dilemma. PETS offers inexpensive, half-day, on-site training courses, taught by the same national-level instructors as the Institute for Facilities Management and annual Educational Conference.

The program was developed by the APPA Education Committee, based on members' requests for low-cost, convenient, educational programs.

According to Gary Reynolds, APPA VP for educational programs, "Members have been asking APPA to take a new approach to education. Time is limited, resources are scarce, and everybody needs something different. At the same time, the quality has to be consistent with APPA's national programs. The PETS program does all that."

The PETS program offers several advantages over larger, scheduled programs. Because the trainer comes to the site, the institution saves transportation costs and staff time lost to travel. Scheduling is determined by the institution, so training won't conflict with other important activities. In addition, the PETS program can be a source of revenue for regional and state APPA groups.

Hosting a PETS program is easy, and all the information you need is in the Education section of APPANet. Take a look and see what PETS can offer you and your staff.