FM Staff News

Lighting plays a critical but often overlooked role in making the University of Maryland campus safe and welcoming after dark. From pedestrian pathways to parking lots, Facilities Management’s (FM) Electrical Services Exterior Lighting team is responsible for keeping more than 2,600 pole lights operating smoothly across campus.

On Wednesday, April 23, Facilities Management Human Resources (FMHR) hosted the FM staff for a luncheon at the South Campus Dining Hall. FM staff members enjoyed the complete spread of meal options from salads to full entrees, along with great conversations.FM Human Resources Luncheon Photo Gallery

Another successful Maryland Day took place on Saturday, April 26, as tens of thousands of people shrugged off an early threat of rain to enjoy all that the University of Maryland has to offer. Facilities Management shared information about its many responsibilities in a fun way, and with the chance for prizes at the end of the day.Maryland Day 2025 Photo Gallery

After five years of behind-the-scenes planning, testing, and teamwork, a new era of facilities service has officially begun. On April 7, Facilities Management and its partners in Residential Facilities, Dining Services, Recreation & Wellness, and STAMP launched SHIFT (also known internally as AssetWorks) through the new Facilities Service Central portal. This integrated system is already making it easier than ever to report and track facilities-related requests across campus.

On Wednesday, April 9, UMD's Arboretum held its annual Arbor Day planting ceremony. This year's tree was a Black Gum Wildfire cultivar, native to Maryland and featuring red leaf tips as they emerge, deep green leaves through the summer, and a brilliant red display in the autumn. The tree was planted at the northwest corner of the Clarence Mitchell Building. See the Photo Gallery here.

Water main breaks can be disruptive, but Facilities Management (FM) is always ready to respond. Here’s what causes them, how we handle them, and what we’re doing to prevent future issues. How common are water main breaks? UMD experiences 10 to 25 water main breaks each year. In the past two years (2023-24), we’ve been on the higher end of that range: 28 breaks in 2023 and 24 in 2024. (For comparison, the region’s water provider WSSC reports that they repair more than 1,700 water main breaks annually.)