LOANS OF LAST RESORT: Students at the University of Oregon with outstanding debts are routinely blocked from registering for courses to complete their degrees. Now a new program allows some students to convert their outstanding debt into a loan. The plan converts the unpaid balance into a university loan account that students can pay back at a $20 to $40 monthly rate. Students with good academic standing and a strong desire to complete degree requirements are prime candidates for the loans. This year, 16 students supported by the program earned degrees who otherwise would not have been able to register for classes.

GAMBLING CAUTION: The University of Michigan is taking a pro-active approach to address the gambling problem confronting intercollegiate athletics. The U-M Athletic Department recently brought a former major organized crime figure to campus to speak to students and athletes about bookmaking operations and how athletes are targeted. And, in an effort to better understand the depth of the problem, Athletic Department staff members are conducting a nationwide survey on intercollegiate athletics and gambling that is expected to be finished this month.

ENERGY CONSERVATION: In a move that could save taxpayers in Pennsylvania millions of dollars, Penn State’s Facilities Engineering Institute (PSFEI) will be monitoring and advising two state agencies on energy usage. The State Department of General Services and State System of Higher Education have signed three-year contracts totaling $770,000 to develop master energy plans for both agencies. PSFEI will manage energy information, including the use of coal, natural gas, fuel oil, steam and electricity, as well as make recommendations on energy purchases. The group will also look for potential savings in light of recent deregulation moves by the state’s Public Utilities Commission.

ADOPT-A-TREE: A $250 gift to the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus entitles the donor to be recognized on an identification plaque placed beside one of 115 campus trees featured in a new guidebook. The publication, developed by the university’s landscape services personnel, showcases three loop tours and touts the campus’s horticultural diversity. Donors also receive mention in the guidebook, which includes keyed maps, historical data and botanical details. Proceeds will support continued maintenance and improvements to trails and the more than 5,000 trees on the 296-acre campus.

ART FOR RENT: Faculty and students in the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan are providing original works of art to grace office walls around campus. Art Placement Services is a new venture available on the Ann Arbor campus. For a fee they will evaluate office or reception space and recommend pieces to enhance décor. Artwork is available on a six-month lease basis. ¶