Talking Stick - March/April 2009 - (Page 21) FaCilities Tightening the Work Belt by Dave Sagaser In efforts to be nimble, facility managers are trying to turn negatives into positives. UniversiTy of arizona; Texas sTaTe UniversiTy, san Marcos; florida sTaTe UniversiTy Campuses like the University of Arizona, Texas State, and Florida State pictured above look at their facilities from all angles (from cleaning products to water heaters) to make the most economical decisions. Strange but true: Facility managers are able to judge the state of the economy by keeping count of how many carpet vendors are calling to make appointments. No matter how weak the economy, government-related entities still have access to funds for projects. Hospitals, K-12 schools, and higher education institutions will not have a shortage of vendors beating a path to their doors. But is this the good news or the bad news? From coast to coast, colleges and universities have instituted hiring freezes or soon will. Fortunately, layoffs have not become commonplace. Most student housing operations enjoy the status of being an auxiliary and thus may have more flexibility to ride out the economic downturn. The nature of auxiliary funding has provided some relief in hiring exceptions being made even during a hold on hiring. “We have been under a hiring freeze since October,” says Dave LaBanc, director of facilities and operations for housing and dining at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. “We can still get positions approved, but our vice president’s signature is required for any hires.” March + april 2009 21
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