Insights from the 2016 USPA Conference

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USPA 2016Insights from the 2016 University Surplus Property Association conference


Students play an important part in any surplus operation

Class conflicts, accidents and consistent help are some challenges in working with students, but, as pointed out at the 2016 USPA Conference, student workers can propel a surplus operation to greater heights by handling responsibilities like route driver, computer support, online sales and manual labor in the warehouse.

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Hazardous waste poses a large challenge

University surplus operations come across a wide variety of items, but those carrying a hazardous component cause managers to pause and carefully consider their options before moving forward. Some of the items documented at the 2016 USPA Conference included lightbulbs, floor tiles, lithium batteries, old cylinders and tanks, scuba gear and medical devices. It’s important to work with your university’s Environmental Health & Safety Department to put a plan in place for handling hazardous waste.


Selling surplus assets is a challenging task and more schools are turning to online auctions in making product movement easier. As noted at the 2016 USPA Conference, there’s an assortment of online auction platforms. To make things easier, consider setting up an online auction station that includes labeled storage, a section for taking photographs, computer terminals for posting auction items and a shipping station for fulfilling orders.

More universities are going online to move surplus assets

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Campus outreach turning the tide in getting more assets to surplus

Participants at the 2016 USPA Conference were vocal about tipping off students, professors and members of the administration to their existence. Aligning entities like campus recycling, university housing and student clubs can make all the difference in putting a concentration on university surplus.

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Identity theft is a concern for everybody, and disposing of personal information on computers, tablets and cellphones is absolutely necessary. The subject was a hot one at the 2016 USPA Conference, with lots of talk revolving around surplus outfits receiving items such as zip drives, computer hard drives, tablets and cell phones. Consider a hard drive crusher or Degausser to remove sensitive information (personal, research, etc.) from these devices or render them unusable.

Securing data is an important consideration

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Surplus management continues to evolve with technologyThe days of making lists and living off spreadsheets is going by way of the dinosaurs. University surplus organizations are putting much of their focus into finding customizable software adept at managing their assets as they come in and go out of the warehouse. Plenty of ideas were shared at the 2016 USPA Conference as to what works in making the management of surplus assets much easier.

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Working with a university’s lost and found is becoming a part of the job

Whether items are lost in classrooms or at athletic events, universities and colleges must tend to a school’s lost and found. According to the 2016 USPA Conference, surplus outfits are now picking up the responsibility. Compiling a separate database to keep track of these lost items is a beneficial approach in finding the rightful owner or a place for them in your surplus operation.

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Catch departmental buyers when they’re looking to make a purchase

Another suggestion from the 2016 USPA Conference was to include a link from your procurement site to a list of what’s available in your surplus property warehouse. At the most basic level, this can be a spreadsheet or PDF file. At a more complex level, a link to a searchable database with an ability to reserve or purchase an item could help put more items back to use on campus.

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Keeping items out of the landfill remains the top priority

A unifying goal at the 2016 USPA Conference was keeping salvageable items from the landfill. Many of the items ending up in university surplus are broken or worn out, but managers and their employees take it upon themselves to get everything they can out of an item. If a piece of surplus can’t be fixed, it can probably be broken down and used for parts or sold for scrap.

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Networking is a major part of USPA

Throughout the four-day 2016 USPA Conference at Oregon State University, the crowd chatter revolved around the spreading of ideas and tactics used in developing a rewarding university surplus organization. Phrases like “I never thought of that” or “that would save me a lot of work” were rampant, as those gathered at the conference were privy to a wealth of information.

If you’re not already a member, consider joining the USPA to gain more great insight and help take your surplus operation to the next level: http://universitysurplus.org/

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http://universitysurplus.org/


Special Thanks to Oregon State University Surplus

for hosting another great USPA conference. We look

forward to seeing everyone at the University of Pittsburgh next year!

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Insights from the 2016 USPA Conference

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of Insights from the 2016 USPA Conference