Facilities Management enhances Southeast's fall beauty

Maintenance at a university campus isn’t always easy, especially in an area where the weather can change from a high of 90 degrees to a high of 65 degrees within a few days. Many steps are taken to ensure Southeast Missouri State University is safe, clean and functioning as cold weather arrives, and Facilities Management is there at each step.

Angela Meyer, director of Facilities Management at Southeast, said one of the biggest challenges cold weather presents her department is inclement weather, when snow and/or ice is left across campus. She said treatment varies based on the context of the situation.

“It’s really just a judgement call on each scenario,” Meyer said. “We determine whether we call in the crew and when, watch the weather patterns and coordinate with the Department of Public Safety. It also depends on what’s on the schedule for the university. We may be able to have a clean campus, but our winding road system may not be clear. We may have a checklist to go by, but every event is totally different.”

The 2015-16 school year saw one closing, which affected Southeast’s regional campuses in Sikeston and Malden. The main campus closed five times the previous year, three of which were full days.

Andy Tinney, grounds, fleet and support services supervisor, said it’s difficult to predict how the incoming weather will affect Southeast.

“The biggest challenge is anticipating the weather,” Tinney said. “You can’t plan too far in advance.”

Other changes made across campus for colder weather include winterizing the fountains on North Henderson and unused facilities such as the press boxes at Houck Stadium, switching ventilation systems from cooling to heating, and caulking crevices to prevent unwanted drafts.

Meyer said switching systems at this time of year is difficult when considering the varying weather patterns.

“Unfortunately, this time of year is very challenging for us,” Meyer said. “While our systems are somewhat easy to switch over, it’s hard as a whole to go from one to the other very quickly. Probably in the next several weeks we’ll switch to heating in hopes that we’re in a season where it stays cooler all of the time.”

Meyer said with extreme weather conditions that can occur, looking out for her own staff members’ safety is necessary alongside other staff and students.

“While people are warm and snug in their beds, I have staff coming in to deal with the nasty weather,” Meyer said. “They have to take breaks; it’s no different than extreme heat. These excessive weather patterns are very hard on them physically and mentally, so we have to be very conscious of that. They’re a dedicated group of men and women.”

Facilities Management also employs several students to be a part of their grounds, electrical or custodial staff. While the student workers don’t work in extreme weather conditions, Tinney said it’s his goal for them to develop skills throughout the winter months regardless.

“I like to see what their interests are,” Tinney said. “I try to get them as much experience as possible to help themselves and help us as well in the process.”

Meyer said while feedback and complaints are taken with a grain of salt when determining whether something’s hazardous, she’s hoping to get feedback from the student workers, who she calls the department’s “first line of defense.”

“They’re the ones out there on campus hearing the good, the bad and the ugly,” Meyer said. “Why not take advantage of their feedback to improve and know whether or not we’re doing a good job?”