This month the Building Services division of UT’s Facilities Services will transfer six more buildings to in-house custodial services, completing its transition of the main campus.
The transition to in-house custodial staff from contracted service began in April 2012 with a switchover of 250,000 square feet in the Conference Center Building.
Since then, the majority of campus buildings have been successfully transitioned to in-house services.
On January 27, Building Services will complete the transition with the addition of the Bass Building, the Clarence Brown Theatre, the Carousel Theatre, Anthropology Department offices on Lake Avenue, the Ceramics Annex, and TANDEC.
“With the increased staff we now have 24/7 coverage on campus,” said Gordon Nelson, assistant director in Building Services.
The transition to in-house services has not only improved the appearance of buildings and created more jobs in Building Services, but brought other benefits as well.
“We have been closely involved with sustainability and recycling efforts over the years,” Nelson said. “We now can extend those efforts to buildings across campus while operating more efficiently.”
Gordon said many students, faculty, and staff also have commented that they appreciate seeing the same staff in the same buildings every day.
In February, Building Services plans to begin transitioning the agriculture campus.
“The appearance of a facility is extremely important,” Nelson said. “First impressions need to be great.”
To learn more about Building Services and the transition to in-house custodial service, visit fs.utk.edu.