Plan may affect maintenance

Administrative restructuring sounds like an issue that does not truly affect students. But a recommendation that could affect all students living in the residences is buried in the Coopers & Lybrand report under the "Facilities Management" category. The report, released this week, recommends that Residential Maintenance be consolidated with the Facilities Management Department. Coopers & Lybrand's report said the combination of the two departments could reduce costs by between $100,000 and $200,000 a year. Administrators say this recommendation has positive and negative aspects. "It looks like an area of redundancy," Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said. "But there is no real area of cost savings." He added that he will put together a more formal response to the recommendation in the near future. "Residences will have to have separate services -- separate, free-standing unit," Moneta said. Executive Director of Physical Plant James Wargo said he wants to study the issue more thoroughly before passing judgement on the recommendation. "It has to be studied to see if it would be cost effective," Wargo said. "But we need to see if we would lose coverage for students if it came under general maintenance." Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum voiced similar sentiments, saying that determining "what provides the most exemplary services" is most important. "We should speak with students, faculty and staff currently in the residences, look at some of the historical issues, and look at what institutions like us do," McCoullum said. "I think we need those three sets of information before we move ahead." According to McCoullum, the report was centered around the Executive Vice President's Office, but created "ripples that affected everyone, including the VPUL." Wargo said he needs to determine if quality services can be provided to the residences if a separate Residential Maintenance Department ceases to exist. "Anything we can do to streamline what we do and be cost effective in doing it, while keeping or bettering the quality of service is what we should try to do," he added. "We have to meet the demands of our customers." Wargo added that Physical Plant is also looking into the other recommendations in the report, including those advocating better communication with its clients. "We have initiated a quality discussion with our customers about our services," he said, noting that regular meetings have begun with the Medical School, the Dental School, the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Wharton School. "By looking at and understanding the needs of our customers and their objectives and goals, we can deliver services to them," Wargo added. Other recommendations to the Facilities Management department included developing a "comprehensive Master Facilities Plan" and increasing the use of general contractors. Director of Residential Maintenance Lynn Horner was unavailable for comment.

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