Many people think of summer at the university as a slow time. Certainly, it is a more relaxed time for many people in terms of workload and vacations. But it’s also a crucial, short window of time for F&O to accomplish projects that can’t be done during the academic year. Here are a few examples.
Custodial Services
Every year, custodians resurface hard floors in classrooms, hallways, and labs to protect them from wear and tear. The process entails removing old layers of finish and putting new layers on.
First, 1-2 custodians soak the surface with a chemical solution and run a machine across the surface to agitate and scrape off the finish. Then they let the floor dry and clean up any residue left behind. Lastly, they apply a new finish — 2-3 coats depending on the application.
Carpets also get special cleaning over the summer: custodians steam-clean classrooms, hallways and common space.
Grounds Services
Grounds also prioritizes projects that take place in high-traffic areas. This summer, they removed old shrubs outside the Michigan League that were getting too large. They replaced the shrubs with smaller ones and tidied up the area generally.
Maintenance Services
Maintenance Services tackles projects in classrooms and other spaces that are less accessible during the school year, as well as projects that require warm weather. Fitting everything in requires careful scheduling and diligent work!
Recreation spaces – North Campus Region replaced the lights in the gymnasium and performed pool maintenance at the North Campus Recreation Building.
Heating system work is best done during the summer when the heat isn’t used as much to minimize occupant discomfort.
- Central Campus East Region drained the East Hall heating hot water piping system to install more isolation valves.
- Mechanical Systems Shop is repiping the heating hot water pipes at Kellogg Eye Center.
- Health Sciences Region replaced glycol perimeter valves and heating hot water piping at Biomedical Sciences Research Building, as well as a radiant heater at School of Public Health I.
Student lounges
- Sign Painter Nick Scott is working on a large vinyl lettering project at South Quad that leads to the Ambatana – The Afro American Multicultural Lounge Experience at South Quad. Nick has done similar work in other student lounges on campus for Student Life.
- Cabinet Makers Mike Mattila and Austin Wonfor installed wood on the base of a large cabinet in the Asubuhi Lounge at West Quad. The Cabinet Shop made the cabinet.
Residence halls – The Metals Shop installed a new counter and drain to the new dish machine in the kitchen at Mary Markley Hall.
Classrooms
- Central Campus West Region installed new lamps in several classrooms.
- Sign Painter Dustin Gilbert produced and installed new wall coverings in the Modern Language Building classrooms.
Office of Campus Sustainability
For the first time, sustainability is a topic of new student orientation sessions. Along with their Planet Blue partners, the Office of Campus Sustainability helped staff a resource fair and give presentations during 18 days of orientation this summer.
They shared info about classes, student organizations, operations, and opportunities to create sustainable habits while adapting to college life. Some of the sessions were on Saturdays which are outside the customary work schedules for OCS staff, but they readily stepped up to take part in introducing new students to U-M’s culture of sustainability.
While sustainability orientation is new for 2023, supporting student move-in is a longstanding effort that requires many hours of preparation. OCS collaborates with Waste Management Services and Housing Facilities to make sure as much waste as possible is diverted from the landfill during the student move-in process.
WMS provides extra service to residence halls throughout move-in week to collect the influx of material. Students are encouraged to recycle their move-in waste—primarily cardboard and foam—and establish waste reduction behaviors as they settle into campus.