Behind the scenes of summer housing turnover
In August, nearly 9,000 students will enter the front doors of one of UA’s 33 residence halls, past the common areas and into one of 3,238 suites that, thanks to hundreds of UA staff, are clean, comfortable and safe.
‘It’s not One and Done’
For the 12 weeks between May move-out and August move-in, thousands of rooms have been inspected and cleaned — most multiple times. Participants in UA’s more than 60 summer camps take up many of the newly cleaned rooms in 26 of the residence halls, and UA students attending summer sessions also move in and out.
Each room is again cleaned and inspected after the camper or student leaves. The checklist for cleaning a suite has multiple tasks for multiple areas of each room, from removing tape on walls to dusting corners and cleaning behind appliances. Then there is an inspection and if needed, more cleaning, all while coordinating with maintenance teams who have their own jobs to do.
“It’s not one and done,” said Greg Gettings, director of custodial services.
An Award-Winning Process
To efficiently manage multiple cleanings on thousands of rooms in the time allotted, Gettings discussed needs and processes with his staff and implemented protocols and data management that allowed each room to have the same baseline of cleanliness while staff could keep up with which rooms had been inspected and cleaned and which still needed attention.
“Having the data and being able to manage the data was key to our success, allowed us to address last-minute changes and get the job done. The key is knowing what you’ve cleaned,” he said.
“Following the implementation of our new summer operations process in the last three years, there has been a significant enhancement in the cleanliness standards. Our team has demonstrated a strong commitment to the process, leading to a commendable improvement in overall cleanliness,” said custodial services manager Alex Goodwin.
Watch: See How UA Custodial and Maintenance Staff Turnover Dorms
After the new summer housing turnover process was implemented, the time to completely turn around a building dropped from 32 days to seven. Recleans after inspections also dropped dramatically.
The new process was so successful that it earned the 2023 Effective and Innovative Practices Award from APPA, the leading facilities management organization for higher education institutions. That achievement was due to an effort by everyone.
“The success of the summer housing operation was a collaborative effort from top to bottom of our organization, beginning with the vision from our leaders to the staff who ensure this vision was implemented with precision,” said custodial services manager Larry Sampson.
From Floor to Ceiling and Everything Between
Data is also important to the more than 200 building and electrical maintenance staff, who in this same 12-week window must work around camp schedules, know where custodial staff are cleaning, and manage large supply inventories, all while repairing and replacing everything except furniture.
“If it’s attached to something, it’s our responsibility,” said David Anderson, building maintenance assistant manager. Those responsibilities include doors, hardware, signage, ceiling tiles, flooring, light bulbs, appliances, air filters, window panes, and plumbing and light fixtures for both suites and common areas. And of course, lots of window blinds.
“We replace hundreds of window blinds each year,” said Collin Sewell, director of building maintenance.
They also paint — a lot — averaging 3,000 square feet daily. Some walls require a complete repaint, while others need only a touch up. Likewise, carpet, hardwood and vinyl flooring replacements range from a few feet or squares to total replacement.
“Every room presents different challenges,” said David Marlowe, assistant manager of building maintenance. “But there’s going to be a lot to do in rooms with multiple people moving in, living there and then moving out.”
One of the challenges is keeping the right inventory in stock. While some supplies are stored in the residence halls, the facilities department has an entire building for storage, and a full-time purchaser. Still, “We have someone whose job is to run to stores to pick up that item we need to finish a project,” said Sewell.
It Needs to be the Best
Gettings and Sewell agree: the biggest challenge in the summer room turnover process is time. Even with three shifts of custodial staff and overtime for facilities staff, everyone is working right up to and during the days of move-in. The motivation behind all this work, however, isn’t just by a need to beat the clock and the calendar, but by a mission to provide a world-class environment where learning can take place.
“Our main concern is doing this for the students,” Anderson said.
Sewell concurred, adding, “For most [students] this is their first time living away from home. It needs to be the best.”