20 Innovative Ways Colleges Are Saving Money

posted August 10, 2011

Tuition rates at colleges and universities are skyrocketing these days. In fact, students around the world have taken to the streets to protest tuition hikes. Clearly, colleges need to find ways to cut back, and after the obvious cuts are made, what’s left? Several colleges have answered this question with innovative ideas that save money, and often have added benefits including student experience and reducing environmental waste. Read on to find out about 20 great programs that colleges have implemented to save money in innovative ways.

1. Cutting land lines
At the University of Washington, they’re cutting their land lines. The school discovered that land lines just weren’t necessary for the communications department (an appropriate department for the cut, we think). Although they kept common area land lines as well as lines for staff, department faculty no longer have their own phones, saving about $1,100 each month, and eliminating the department’s biggest line item.

2. Going trayless
Cafeteria trays lend a festive, institutional flair to school eateries, but many campuses are ditching them altogether and seeing a huge savings. Williams College has cut trays, and estimates a water savings of 14,000 gallons. And although food costs are rising, Rochester Institute of Technology has a 10% lower food bill, attributed to reduced food waste since eliminating trays. An added bonus of going trayless? Students are less likely to pack on the "freshman 15" once they have to choose food carefully instead of loading up.  the rest image