Five Facilities Management (FM) team members start their day with one goal in mind: ensuring that campus facilities customers receive excellent service and that work requests run smoothly, no matter what comes their way. Whether coordinating with FM staff for a quick repair or overseeing a large-scale renovation, as the vital link between building occupants and FM services, Facility Managers are the go-to professionals who make sure every request is handled efficiently and effectively, while keeping everyone aligned throughout the process.
Coordinating Services, Connecting Resources
A critical part of the Facility Manager’s role is working closely with Academic Facilities Officers (AFOs), who rely on them to keep building occupants informed, resolve work requests, and facilitate smooth communication across teams. Relationship building is key to their success—this trust not only helps ensure timely resolutions but also fosters problem-solving.
Facility Managers also play an essential role in connecting various campus offices to a project. From the Department of Environmental Safety, Sustainability & Risk (ESSR) to the Division of Information Technology (DivIT), Building Security Systems, and the Accessibility Office, Facility Managers coordinate efforts across departments to ensure all relevant parties are on the same page, ensuring that communication is seamless and efficient.
When an annoying, but seemingly simple door slamming issue turned out to be caused by a more complicated combination of temperature and air pressure, Facility Managers worked across several departments to investigate and resolve the issue. Their ability to coordinate among different teams and keep everyone on the same page allowed them to identify the root cause and provide a lasting solution.
Proactive Problem Solving
But, Facility Managers do much more than respond to work tickets; they anticipate and address issues before they escalate. Whether it’s a minor maintenance request or a more complex challenge, they investigate problems and find solutions. It’s not unusual for Facility Managers to walk through their assigned buildings looking for potential issues, tracking down problems that may not yet have been reported.
Often, their work prevents small issues from becoming major disruptions. In one instance, a campus building had a persistent ceiling leak that remained unresolved despite multiple repair attempts. By coordinating on-site meetings with various FM shops, a Facility Manager helped trace the leak’s source all the way to the basement, ensuring the underlying issue was properly addressed. After continued monitoring, the problem was confirmed to be fully resolved—much to the relief and appreciation of the building’s occupants.
Their problem-solving skills also come into play when campus safety and accessibility concerns arise. When a new facility was constructed, a Facility Manager noticed potential challenges for wheelchair users navigating the space. By bringing in the university’s ADA consultant and working with safety and transportation teams, adjustments were made to improve accessibility, ensuring that all members of the campus community could use the space comfortably.
Balancing Internal and External Resources
Beyond addressing individual concerns, Facility Managers play a crucial role in balancing in-house work with contracted projects. They coordinate with different FM teams to determine whether repairs should be handled internally or require outside vendors, ensuring that work is done efficiently and cost-effectively. Whether it’s arranging power for sensitive research equipment during a planned outage, scheduling lighting upgrades in multiple labs, or assisting with temporary cooling solutions during unexpected HVAC failures, they are always working behind the scenes to keep operations running smoothly.
Above all, Facility Managers want building occupants to think of them as a trusted resource. They encourage faculty and staff to reach out when an issue arises—not just for repairs but for guidance on navigating FM services. Their work is about more than just responding to requests; it’s about fostering trust, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring that campus facilities support the university’s mission.
Find contact information and building assignments for the five Facilities Managers on the FM website.