PAT Council gets update about facilities news
 
By Denise Hart, Media Relations

Paul Chamberlin, interim assistant vice president for facilities, visited the PAT Council for a question-and-answer session at its April 6 meeting.

Chamberlin gave an overview of physical plant design and construction accomplishments at UNH during his seven-year tenure as the director of Design and Construction, referring to himself as the “chief digger and filler.” Prior to coming to UNH, Chamberlin spent 26 years in the military, at one time serving as the chief of public works at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He recently took over as the interim AVP for facilities.

Questions for Chamberlin focused around snow and cleaning issues. He acknowledged that we had a long winter this year with some surprises and many new players in the process. He explained that the process for making decisions about snow removal and weather cancellations begins about 3:30 a.m. when he contacts Grounds and Road to assess the situation. He then makes a recommendation to Candace Corvey, vice president for finance and administration. Corvey consults with other key administrators before making a decision to curtail operations. This decision is normally made at about 4 a.m. with a “last chance” to revise the decision before 7 a.m. if conditions unexpectedly change for the worse.

Over the summer, he plans to review the curtailment process. “Does McDonald’s close? Do the malls close?” Chamberlin asked council members. “Is it because we are concerned about the roads on campus or the parking lots? We run buses—how do we determine when it’s not safe for out buses to travel? What is reasonable in this climate, in this location?”

Rick MacDonald, District 7, asked for more communications with dining services, pointing out that the campus operates seven days a week, often 18-20 hours a day whether or not it snows. MacDonald said that in the past, people who worked longer shifts did not get compensatory time.

Many questions related to building cleaning services. Chamberlin noted that the university decided to bring in a private company 1 1/2 years ago to take over as UNH employees left or retired. In that same period, decisions were made to have some reduction of services as a result as cost saving measures. “We’re trying to find the right balance,” Chamberlin said.

Two companies were hired and let go due to poor performance, he said, but GCA has taken over and service has improved. UNH is in the process of accepting bids for a full-time contract for all cleaning services, which begins July 1. Chamberlin agreed that there have been many difficulties and that UNH hopes to see better service once the new contract is in place. He believes that one problem is that the companies hired were used to cleaning commercial clients but not institutional ones. “They simply didn’t understand the needs of an institutional owner like UNH,” Chamberlin said.

David Gillum, District 18, asked if a cost-saving benefit has been realized by the outsourcing of cleaning staff. Chamberlin said he is reviewing the figures, but all analysis done to date indicates that there has been savings. However, Chamberlin indicated he was reviewing the data again.

“They exploit their workers,” said Mary Essley, District 3, about the contracted companies. However, MacDonald, who is participating in the selection process for a new housekeeping contractor, indicated that the firms being considered typically provide benefits to keep their workers. Chamberlin commented that the generous UNH benefits package makes the hourly cost of a UNH housekeeper high when compared with the similar cost for a contract housekeeper. “Fundamentally, it is difficult to justify in-house housekeeping due to the benefits,” Chamberlin said. However, he noted that any change to outsourced housekeeping would be done through attrition; no UNH housekeepers would lose their jobs as a result of the outsourcing.

Tracey Boyle, District 2, asked how to notify his office about poor service and Chamberlin replied that an email or telephone call to Jane Vaughn, facilities support center supervisor, would yield quick action. “We do monitor these; all calls are logged in,” he noted. He also noted that staff could call their zone manager, but Boyle pointed out that many people do not know the name of their zone manager. Facilities is implementing a new management software, FAMIS, that will have the capacity to monitor building maintenance.

In other facilities news, the co-generation electricity plant soon will allow the university to save money by producing a portion of its own electricity. Another energy project being explored is the possibility of tapping Methane gas from the Gonic landfill to use as a fuel source for the Co-Gen.

“We’re going into the generation business—we should be online in November,” Chamberlin said.

Council Chair Phil Hammond reported that the PAT/EE Systems Personnel Policy Committee has not taken action on the proposed changes to the Medicare Complimentary Plan (MCP) retirement medical coverage provision. For more information on this change, visit: http://unhinfo.unh.edu/news/campusjournal/2005/march/031605pat.html. With the help of Human Resources, the PAT and OS councils organized a focus group of about 20 MCP beneficiaries to explain the proposed change and solicit their thoughts. According to Boyle, who serves on the PAT Council’s compensation and benefits committee, once the change was explained to them, the beneficiaries did not appear to have much angst about the change.

“The real expense period is before the affected family member reaches 65,” said Boyle, of the Compensation and Benefits Committee.

Hammond noted that “when a retired employee reaches 65, coverage under the regular USNH health plan (like CIGNA) ends and you are then covered under Medicare and the Medicare supplemental insurance provided by USNH. But for an employee at age 65 with a spouse younger than 65 or with dependent children that need coverage, their continued enrollment under the regular USNH health plan will now cost 50 percent of the actual cost (versus what an active employee pays). For those retiring without dependents needing health care coverage or whose spouse is their age or older, nothing changes.”

“When you get into the details of what is changing, it’s really not too much,” added Boyle.

The councils plan to inform the two SPPC groups about the results of the focus group.

Chris VanHorn, professional and organizational development coordinator for Human Resources, discussed plans for the May 6 PAT staff, Extension Education and Operating Staff recognition program to be held in the MUB’s Strafford Room from 9:30-11:45 a.m. Those being recognized will receive luncheon invitations and after lunch, these employees may take the rest of the day off. VanHorn also noted that plans are in the works for an Excellence publication for staff similar to the one developed each year for faculty. This will be distributed to all 3,000 plus employees.

The IDEA (Ideas Drive Excellence & Achievement) Program launched April 11. All employees at UNH—faculty, staff, hourly and work study—are eligible to participate by submitting ideas to help the university reach its academic goals, work more effectively and improve efficiency. Suggestions are reviewed by committee members who determine awards from $50-$1,000 depending on impact, value and/or savings. For more information visit the program’s Web site at: http://www.greatideas.unh.edu.