Talking Stick - March/April 2016 - 34

FISCAL RESOURCES
manage the project while keeping the
total cost of the project within budget,"
Nostrum and Frazier say. They also
note that by using this type of bid,
they don't feel as if they have pigeonholed themselves into the lowest bid.
"We are very early in the process,
and we are working with the facility
management staff on our campus to
work through this process. The request
for proposals from this construction
management-at risk bid were promising.
And the selected contractor provided
three different timeline options that
demonstrate great flexibility on their
part."
Another factor that will contribute
to your success is your knowledge of
the overall construction and renovation
process before going into your project.
If something is unclear, there are
several options to find answers. For
instance, you can join listservs. Here,
managers and other stakeholders will be

Live
cooperatively

Meet other
students

Interact with
diverse residents

able to obtain the information they need
to answer questions, solve problems, or
gain more resources. Sisco and Combs
also suggest that institutions contact
campuses similar to them and ask if
they will do a courtesy review of their
plans. They may also be willing to share
project documents such as samples
of their bid documents or blue prints.
"It also does not hurt to tour buildings
under construction several times and
buildings that are complete and discuss
those processes with the institutions of
the completed projects," they say. For
example, The University of Tennessee
has given several small institutions
tours of their current construction
projects in order to help them spark
ideas. Additionally, there are resources
beyond comparable institutions. Sisco
and Combs suggest reaching out to
local architects and businesses that have
had their own building and remodeling
successes. Also, you can refer to your
own local builders' exchange; as Sisco
Solve their own
Balance social,
problems
work, & academic
commitments

Manage their
time

ACADEMIC

INTERACTIONS

88%

Report housing experience
contributed to learning

89%

Report housing experience
contributed to academic
performance

Students reporting a GPA of
3.00 or higher

34

TALKING STICK

62%

and Combs emphasize, "Speaking with
local businesses or institutions with
completed projects is the most preferred
way to go."
Overall, the key to the success of any
project is planning. Sisco and Combs
sum it up nicely saying, "The best advice
is to know exactly what you want, put
together a strong budget, convey your
requirements explicitly to your designer,
make sure the designer puts together
an excellent set of bid documents, and
then have a competent project manager
that is invested in your project . . . Then
pray each night that weather or a natural
disaster does not ruin your great plan." 

Verdaynea Eason is the editorial intern for the
Talking Stick.
ditorialintern@acuho-i.org.
http://go.macmillannewventures.com/housing.html
Talking Stick - March/April 2016

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