Acorn

Issue date: 10/28/06 Section: News

For several weeks, students leaving Welch Hall had to watch their step. Until recently, one of the steps to the patio in front of Welch had broken off and was not replaced. Meanwhile, in front of Baldwin, stone tiles are cracked and loose. And the access ramp outside of Brothers College sports a rusted handrail that is missing a section at the top.

Drew University, for all its dazzling architecture and keenness for nature, is not lacking in the unsightly.

�The [handrails of the] Aztec stairs look like they were done by a high school woodshop class,� junior Vik Rao said. �They definitely need some work.�

Junior Chris Mercadante, a commuter, noticed the extensive grounds work that took place over the summer, but he also agrees that some renovations could improve the campus appearance.

�I know it�s supposed to look old,� Mercadante said. �But given the age of the campus, it could be a lot worse.�

Sophomore John Almanzar agrees that some parts of campus need work.

�The railings are rusted� he said. �For the tuition we pay, we should be getting the maintenance done.�

Most of the work done by the Facilities Department at Drew happens over the summer.

According to Zach McNeil, executive director of operations, Facilities completes approximately 95 percent of all projects during this time period.

These are mainly large-scale operations like building additions that may take weeks or months to accomplish.

Other branches of his department are in charge of specialized areas such as mechanical, electrical and plumbing, as well as painting and construction.

�We do most of the work in the summer so it is least intrusive on the students, like the Aztec stairs, for example- with the exception of the handrails, which, unfortunately, people keep vandalizing,� McNeil said.

The wooden handrails on the Aztec stairs are not permanent fixtures, Mcneil said.

�Those are temporary, while the custom made ones are being manufactured. They�re coming in about two weeks,� he said.

�Nailing together a few two-by-fours kind of negates all the work they did to improve the stairs,� junior Dave Cimino said.

Cimino, a resident of Haselton, also has problems with his floor�s shower getting too hot in spurts.

According to McNeil, Facilities prioritizes safety over aesthetics.

The handrail for the access ramp outside of Brothers College is already in the works for replacement. McNeil�s department carpentry supervisor is getting pricing estimates from two contractors.

The manhole work being done in front of Brothers College should also wrap up within the week, McNeil said.

The steam lines that run heat to Brothers College were in need of repair. New PVC jacketing is being installed, which marks the final stage of the project.

Students should not assume that work orders are already filed for the problems they see around campus, McNeil said.

�There�s nothing that we don�t want to know about,� he said. �If you�re aware of it, report it. If we have it already then we will just have it twice, but it allows us to know that we, at least, have it. We want to be in the loop. We�re not trying to hide anything or push anything off to the side.�

Facilities workers report things that need attention or maintenance while walking around campus.

The supervisors, McNeil said, are good at catching these things, but they cannot cover everything.

During winter break, facilities will concentrate on maintaining areas that were inaccessible during the semester, such as residence halls and classrooms.

�The goal is to have a safe and functional environment,� McNeil said.

If students wish to put in a maintenance or work request, they can call the Pepin Services Center at extension 3510 or file an online work form.

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