Facilities Management strives to maintain Dickinson's 145 buildings, more than 1.9 million square feet of space and over 200 acres of land to protect and preserve physical assets, and to provide for the following:
- Admissions Appeal
- Programmatic Viability
- Design Appeal
- Positive Student Experience
- Sustainability and Efficiency
- Safety and Code Compliance
- Quality and Durability
There are many factors that are taken into account as repair and renovation requests are considered. In an effort to 'de-mystify' the selection and scheduling process, these factors are identified below. The selection process adheres to the following principles and guidelines:
First Priority
- Safety and Security
- Code Compliance
- System Failure
Projects that affect the safety and security, that will remediate systems that are not in compliance with local, state and/or national building codes, or projects that are required to avoid system failure are given the highest priority.
Second Priority
- Program Viability
- Strategic Priority
- Deferred Maintenance
Projects that are required for academic and administrative programs to remain competitive and viable and projects that are directly related to strategic objectives, such as projects that will advance admissions and retention objectives, receive the highest priority possible. Also, deferred maintenance projects are prioritized in this category, with the objective of eliminating deferred maintenance backlog.
Third Priority
- Sustainability and Efficiency
- Cycle Maintenance and Preventative Maintenance
With the goal of preserving college assets and to avoid deferred maintenance accrual, cycle maintenance projects receive the highest priority possible each year, but are typically prioritized below those objectives listed in the categories above.
Also, projects that advance the college's objectives associated with sustainability and operational efficiency are prioritized to the highest degree possible. Many of these projects fall into the second priority when they are considered to be of strategic priority for the college.
It should be noted that projects that will result in immediate or short term payback and return on investment are given a high priority - because they should ultimately pay for themselves within a short period of time.
Gifts and Grants:
Facilities Management works with the Development office to identify projects that have the potential to receive funding from donors or from other non-operating fund sources such as grants. When projects are identified to have the high potential to receive outside funding, operating resources are generally channeled in other directions. Consequently, the 'gifts and grants' factor is important when prioritizing and scheduling project requests which fall into this category, giving these types of requests a lower priority in terms of completion with annual operating funds.
Project Request Process:
Project requests can be made at any time during the year by requesting a meeting with the Director of Projects or AVP for Facilities. Requests will be evaluated and a design solution and pricing will be provided. Either, the request will be included in the next annual asset renewal cycle for evaluation/selection by the Space Planning Committee or the requesting department can provide funding to advance the project. All requested project designs will require approval for appropriateness and consistency with campus standards by the Space Planning Committee.
Questions and concerns relating to the project request process or the status/schedule of a request are always welcome, and should be directed to Kristen Kostecky, Associate Vice President for Campus Operations.