I am suggesting that we make a strong effort to turn all documents we use into fillable, pdf, forms. I understand that doing this will initially cause a short term increase in expenses but in the long run it would be a huge cost savings.

As of right now, almost all of the forms available on redwoods.edu are not fillable. You either have to know how to convert the form to fill it or you have to print it out and hand fill it.

In conjunction with digitizing and making forms fillable, we should issue each employee an digital signature. Again this would take some effort to set up but it's use, along with digital forms, would eliminate much of our need for printed documents like time cards, leave requests, etc. All these things could be signed digitally (which is just as legally binding as a hand written signature) and emailed. It could also lower the workload of departmental mail and printing services.

We could also incorporate a digital ID for all students that they could use to sign digital files as well. This could easily speed up many processes and cut back workloads. Once the initial forms are created, they could be automated too.

I had thought that we made a move in the past to enhance efficiency (and reduce expenses) by having Xerox printers in several locations, with the idea that large jobs, and color printing could be handled at Printing Services

More and more, I am seeing and signing for delivery of color desktop printers.

While I can understand having perhaps 1 color printer in a division area or department, why the need for "1 for each person"?

How is that efficient? Are we looking at the total cost of ownership for these printers? Replacement laser cartridges total approximately $300.00-$400.00. Warranty periods on these printers are short, and we don't have enough staff/resources to service these when they fail or breakdown......

As we continue to see more of these PG&E peak pricing days, I'm reminded that a while back we were told that office refrigerators were being replaced with more energy efficient models. Where are we this initiative? Our office has two little refrigerators that have been here as long as I can remember (20+ years).

Correct, we can upgrade office breakroom refrigerators and other District refrigerators to high efficiency units, but cannot do anything for "personal friges".

To upgrade a breakroom refrigerator, I need the brand and model number for the existing model. Then, we lookup that unit on an energy saving website that gives the power usage for that model. This way we can document that each new frige is savings on electrical operating costs. Thanks, Lee

We have two smaller breakroom refrigerators:

Sanyo: SR1286-1

Welbilt: W 8/555 AX

Would be happy to trade these in on one larger efficient model.

For the benefit of new teachers, and maybe even the more experienced ones, I was thinking it might be useful to have a sort of mini-library in the teacher's lounge...consisting of quality books on teaching. Just a shelf if even. But one could put out a teacher wide email calling out for suggestions, what have the senior teachers found useful in their time? Or even for submissions and donations, what do you have sitting around at home that has long been memorized and may be useful for 'the new ones'?

Having such books on campus keeps them more readily accessible for quick reference and reminder, but also, unlike simply having them at the library, keeps them exclusively in reserve for our teachers.

Not only would such a collection build a feeling of community, but would likely vastly improve the learning curve for teachers, and the quality of education over all.

If donations end up being found lacking there might at least someway to find a couple bucks for such a fund.