Keynote Presentation with Lieutenant Colonel Harris
More details coming soon!
Cornell University School Grounds Maintenance Track
School districts are under growing pressure to deliver safe, high-performing athletic fields with limited budgets, staff, and time. Too often, deteriorating fields are treated as an agronomic problem, when the real issues are gaps in governance, unclear accountability, and decisions that don’t fully consider risk, safety, and long-term stewardship.
This two-part educational track is designed for facilities directors, operations and maintenance leaders, school business officials, superintendents, and athletic administrators who are ready to move their districts from “problem fields” to proactive, well-governed, and sustainably managed athletic facilities.
Participants in this two-session track will gain:
- Governance and decision-making frameworks that clarify responsibility and support defensible field-related decisions
- A stronger understanding of risk management, liability, and how field conditions intersect with student safety
- Cost-aware, labor-conscious stewardship strategies that prioritize what matters most under real constraints
- Practical tools and examples that can be applied immediately at the district level to improve field safety, performance, and sustainability
Session 1: Who Owns the Field? Governance, Risk, and Defining “Success” in School Athletic Facilities
Frank S. Rossi, PhD, Cornell University
This session examines how board policies, administrative structures, and informal decision-making shape field conditions far more than individual maintenance practices. Participants will explore how different stakeholders, superintendents, business officials, athletic directors, coaches, and community members, define a “successful” field, and how misalignment can directly affect athlete safety and liability exposure.
Key topics include:
- Common governance gaps that contribute to unsafe or declining fields
- Clarifying who has authority for field use, rest, investment, and standards of care
- Understanding negligence, liability, and what is realistically defensible in court
- Using field condition and use data to guide access, rest, and renovation decisions
- Implementing a clear governance framework that connects policy, practice, and accountability
This session is ideal for facilities directors, school business officials, superintendents, and athletic leadership who need to connect field management decisions to risk management and board-level oversight.
Session 2: Managing Demand with Limited Resources: Stewardship Strategies That Protect Fields, Budgets, and Athletes
Carl Schimenti, Cornell University
Building on the governance foundations of Session 1, this session focuses on what facilities professionals can realistically do under tight labor, equipment, and scheduling constraints. Using findings from New York school and sports field research, participants will learn how to prioritize stewardship practices that deliver the greatest impact on safety and field longevity.
Key topics include:
- How field-use pressure, over-scheduling, and rest patterns drive deterioration
- High-impact practices to prioritize when labor, equipment, and funding are limited
- Evaluating drainage, construction, and renovation options through a long-term safety lens
- Aligning practice and game schedules with recovery needs to reduce injuries and emergency repairs
- Building a practical, district-level stewardship plan that balances athlete safety, field life, and community demand
Facilities leaders will gain realistic tools to advocate for necessary changes while demonstrating fiscal responsibility and risk awareness.
