Jim Biesecker, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Management, and Lauren Ahlquist, Director of Service and Communication, update students about changes and improvements to facilities that have been made to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Welcome back to Gettysburg College! It has been a unique 11 months in the world and in the Facilities Services Department at Gettysburg College. Our focus has been on making our campus a safe and welcoming environment for our students and staff. To assist in your transition back to campus we have highlighted several of the changes and improvements that occurred to cope with our new environment.
COVID-19 Updates
Additional Cleaning and Disinfecting:
You will see increased Facilities Services staff throughout all buildings on campus. We increased our cleaning and disinfecting routines to better protect our campus community. This includes 7 day a week cleaning and disinfecting in all Residence Halls and houses. A second disinfecting of high touch points occurs in traditional residence halls.
Classroom and Public Use Area Procedures:
Disinfecting supplies have been placed in all classrooms, common kitchens, meeting rooms, and laundry rooms for your convenience. Each space is now equipped with disinfecting wipes or a spray bottle and paper towels. Please disinfect your desk/table area as you enter a space for class. Please disinfect kitchen areas and laundry equipment prior to use. All disinfecting products are labeled for safe use.
Small Houses and Apartment Protocols:
Disinfecting products have been supplied to common areas in each small house or apartment. It is the responsibility of the occupants to properly disinfect the space to best protect your environment. Please note disinfecting is different than cleaning. Please keep your space clean and tidy then disinfect the area. A maximum occupancy has been posted in each common area these occupancies must be adhered to. Additional signage is posted throughout your living space with more information.
Hand Washing and Hand Sanitizer:
Hand sanitizer has been placed in many areas around campus. You will find it in at entrances to buildings, in classrooms and labs, and public areas. Please practice good hand hygiene and frequently wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. If soap and water are unavailable please use hand sanitizer.
Drinking Fountains and Bottle Filling Station:
Drinking fountains have been disabled on campus to not create an additional high touch point to spread COIVID-19 germs. Motion activated bottle filling stations remain operable. We added 20 bottle filling stations on campus to better serve our community. You will find a sign on each water fountain that directs you to the nearest bottle filling station.
Directional Signage:
Directional signage has been placed throughout our larger buildings on campus to decrease the amount of oncoming traffic flow in buildings. Please be mindful of this signage. Remember to stay to the right in hallways and stairwells and to practice physical distancing.
Capacity Signage:
Your residence hall lobby and common areas have signage to give you guidance on the maximum capacity allowed in a space to ensure proper physical distancing.
General Facilities Updates
Building Inspections:
Facilities Services conducted visual inspections of all student rooms, bathrooms and common areas, before you returned to campus, to confirm your space was ready. These inspections confirm the spaces were clean, repaired, and have the proper quantity of furniture. If you have concerns about your space, please contact the Facilities Helpdesk at 717-337-6700.
Also, during these inspections we ensure humidity levels are normal and the space is comfortable. It is important to note that changes in humidity can change moisture conditions in rooms. Moisture can easily change within a building and enable mold growth. The College is being diligent and proactive in its efforts, but your vigilance is also helpful. We would like to remind students if you see any concerns, promptly contact Facilities Services so we can address issues requiring our attention.
Remote Learning and Study Spaces
With an increase in commuter students to campus and to support students who need a private location to attend remote classes or need a quiet place to study, we have created several private study locations.
- All McKnight classrooms
- Plank Rooms 110 and 112
Facilities Services Helpdesk:
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding campus facilities, please feel free to call the Facilities Service Helpdesk at 717-337-6700. Our office hours are Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can also submit a work order online by visiting the student-landing page on the College website and click Facilities Helpdesk (TMA) under Useful Links or by locating one our Facilities signs with a QR code within your building.
Room Inventory Condition (RIC):
Every living space on campus has received an RIC report, conducted by Facilities Services. We request that each student go online to your Self Service page and click on more tasks to confirm that their information is correct. Not completing the review prevents you from appealing residence hall damage billing at the end of the year.
Laundry Services:
Caldwell & Gregory continues to be our campus laundry provider. Our laundry equipment is coin or app operated in most buildings. Through the Speed Queen app you can check availability of machines, time left in cycles, and pay for laundry all through the app. Please refer to signs posted in the laundry rooms around campus for details and emails that have been posted in the student digest on how the system operates.
What to Flush:
Please do not flush “flushable wipes” down the toilets or any other non-toilet paper items. These wipes are marketed at flushable but do not breakdown well in public sewer systems and cause serious clogs in our pipes. Please dispose of these items and any other non-toilet paper items in a trash can.
Our number one goal is to keep our campus clean and safe for our community. If at any time you have questions regarding a campus facility or the services we provide, please contact our Facilities Service Helpdesk at 717-337-6700. We are very excited to welcome you to campus and we look forward to the upcoming year.
Jim Biesecker | Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Management
Gettysburg College | Facilities Services
Lauren Ahlquist | Director of Service and Communication
Gettysburg College | Facilities Services