SUNY Potsdam

  STANDARD I:

     The residence halls shall be constructed and maintained to conform with all applicable safety codes and health standards.

Guidelines:

   1. All furnishings and equipment supplied by the University will meet applicable fire and safety code standards promulgated by the State of New York.  All equipment for student living areas is purchased in compliance with SUNY purchasing practices.  Since equipment replacement dollars are used, State Contract awarded vendors are used. This process insures that purchased products comply with State codes.
   2. Each resident’s sleeping room will have an operational smoke detector.  All rooms are equipped with smoke detectors. These detectors are inspected annually and replaced as needed.  Our Physical Plant Office is responsible for this program. Should a device malfunction during the academic year, it is replaced within 24 hours of the report.
   3. Student residents are required to adhere to all applicable safety codes and health standards in the use of private equipment and appliances (where permitted).  Students at Potsdam sign a housing license which requires compliance with College Policy.  The College provides a list of residence hall rules and regulations included in the College’s “Guide to Student Life” which each resident student receives.
   4. Access to residence hall living on each campus that operates halls which will be provided for the disabled in accordance with applicable codes and standards.  (e.g. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973).
   5. Inspection and assessment of the physical facility and its components (e.g. water, electricity, and heating systems), will be conducted annually by appropriate campus personnel.  The report of this inspection should be distributed to appropriate campus personnel.  A priority list (as reviewed by the appropriate campus personnel) of repairs/refurbishment should be part of this report, with recommended timetables for completion.  Backlogs from earlier reports should be noted.

     The Center for Campus Life and The Physical Plant Department conduct monthly inspections of the residential facilities and compile a list of necessary repairs.  The inspections during the months of December and January, along with student input, are the basis for annual renovation and repair requests.  The Physical Plant Department, based on input from their staff, develops a list of necessary projects.  A meeting with Campus Life is conducted to prioritize and to identify funding sources.  The Physical Plant Department coordinates Capitol Project requests and other State funded major projects.

     The Center for Campus Life uses a five-year plan as a guide to anticipate large renovation initiatives along with equipment purchases.

STANDARD II

     The campus maintenance plan shall provide for a regular schedule of cleaning and repair of all common areas in residence halls.

Guidelines:

    1. A regular schedule for cleaning common areas including lounges, hallways, bathrooms, and areas used by all students should be established.  Copies of schedule should be posted.

        Maintenance and Operations has established work assignments for every individual in the custodial department.  Copies of these assignments will be compiled for the individual buildings (residence halls) and be made available by posting a notice on a bulletin board near the Resident Director’s Office or in some central area of each residence hall as agreed upon by Physical Plant and Campus Life.  As area assignments change, each new assignment will be inserted into the proper building compilation so as to continuously update the information.  The Head Janitor will be responsible for causing this procedure to be put into effect and maintained.

        The areas assigned will be cleaned/serviced on a daily basis Monday through Friday.  In the event that an assigned worker is absent from a given area, the area will be serviced/cleaned by either the use of a janitor or cleaner floater or by the temporary assignment of the area to personnel from other areas of up to one hour in duration.

    2. Every reasonable effort by the campus administration and student residents should be made to keep residence halls sanitary and vermin free, and all appliances provided by the University in working order or removed from service.

        The Department of Physical Plant provides service in the form of a contract with a pest control firm for a monthly application of rodenticide and pesticide in the lower levels of each residence hall.  This service is further supplemented by the availability of “spot” service to take care of isolated problems with regard to these and other pests.

        In concert with Campus Life, appliances are repaired or removed as directed and as is required in all Campus Life areas.

    3. Campuses should have an established procedure, developed in conjunction with the Central Administration Offices of Finance and Business, Capital Facilities, and Student Affairs for declaring student rooms unlivable and for removing them from service until conditions are corrected.

        The Center for Campus Life, based on consultation with the Physical Plant Department will determine if a student room should be removed from service.  The basis of this decision will be the health, life and safety of the occupants.  The students will be consulted and offered alternative living space.

STANDARD III:

     The campus shall provide each student with adequate living space, furniture, and appropriate and sufficient heat, light, and hot water.

Guidelines:

   1. The campus will provide each student resident with adequate living and lounge furniture.  As a minimum, except in the case of tripling, each student resident will be provided with: a bed, adequate area illumination, chair, dresser/chest, desk/carrel unit, closet or wardrobe.  All equipment should be clean, sturdy, free from major scarring and of acceptable appearance. Each student room is equipped with a bed, desk, dresser, chair, closet or wardrobe, and adequate illumination.  Rooms are inspected annually for damage to the facilities as well as equipment.  Based upon this inspection and a published five-year plan, replacement equipment is purchased.  We plan years in advance for equipment replacement.
   2. Campuses should provide for a planned replacement or rehabilitation of residence hall furnishings.

A five-year plan for equipment replacement and facility renovation has been established and is in place.

STANDARD IV:

     The campus shall establish procedures for routine and emergency repairs to residence hall facilities.

Guidelines:

    1. Protocols will be established to address promptly inquiries, requests, and complaints regarding routine repairs and maintenance for the provision of heat, lights, and hot water.  The student resident should also be apprised periodically of the status of his/her request.  These protocols, along with appropriate telephone numbers should be provided in writing to each student resident.  All repairs, especially those involving heat, light, and hot water, should be accomplished within a reasonable amount of time.

        The Physical Plant Department maintains a computer based log of all work requests.  This data base is continuously updated and monthly reports of all incomplete work orders are provided for each building administrator.

        The student request is included in this work order data base only if services outside the residence hall staffing were required.  Normal day-to-day maintenance is handled with the aid of residence hall maintenance personnel who work at the direction of the residents and the residence supervisor.  The formal work order would be written on the occasion that the “in house” maintenance staff encounter a request beyond the scope of their normal assignment.

        The Physical Plant Department issues a monthly report, sorted by building, of all incomplete work orders to the Coordinator of Residential Facility Services.  A continuous dialogue is established as to the status of work requests that require outside forces.  The student is thus able to be apprised of the status of work requests.

     This protocol in complete form will be included in the appropriate residence hall publication each Fall.

    2. To the extent possible, major rehabilitation or other capital projects should take place at times when students are not in occupancy of the residence halls.  Major construction projects that are disruptive to ongoing programs should not continue during scheduled examination periods.  If this is impossible, arrangements should be made to house residents elsewhere.

        Major renovation projects are scheduled for the summer. A list of summer work projects or summer conference programs is provided to the Physical Plant Department so a work schedule may be developed.  Other necessary renovation or repair projects are scheduled for vacation periods (i.e. Fall, Midyear, Spring Break).  It is clearly expressed that only emergency work should take place during published examination periods.