At the start of the holiday break, students and faculty filtered off campus, leaving the school grounds bear and classrooms empty. But for Campus Operations staff it’s business as usual.
“Even though there are no classes people still use the buildings,” said Linda Wright, custodial services supervisor. “We do spend more time detailing in the classrooms which is something we can’t get to during the regular class schedule.”
For custodial staff, some holiday responsibilities include tasks that are difficult when students are coming in and out of classrooms. Some tasks include high and low dusting, washing table tops and extensive cleaning of floors and carpets.
“The breaks don’t seem to slow things down for the grounds crew who work hard to keep the campus exterior clean, safe and beautiful,” said Daniel Graham, custodial supervisor.
Graham explained that during the break each fire alarm and system are tested and the zone maintenance crews perform preventative maintenance and repairs to systems that need to be shut down during low activity periods. These systems, such as fume hoods, heating and venting and air conditioning units, are shut down to be less disruptive.
According to Graham, the custodial staff usually works normal shifts during the winter break. However, having the three holidays — Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s — during the break limits the normal hours by 27 percent. Along with many of the staff who chose to take their accrued leave during the holidays, Graham estimated that the maintenance crews work 60 to 65 percent of the physical hours of a normal three-week period.
By supplementing their hours, maintenance workers made an additional amount of money during the snow storm due to the high demand for repairs and safety precautions.
“This year the snow storm resulted in a campus closure during which only essential personnel reported to work,” Graham said. “In this case the custodians were not essential personnel and did not report for one shift. Those employees required to work as essential personnel shall be paid at the rate of time-and-one half during the closure.”