Almost fifty years ago, a high school student followed his appreciation of art and science to study architecture at UMD, where he took a part-time job in the Department of Physical Plant, the forerunner of Facilities Management (FM).

Vacation mode: activated. But before you log off for a well-earned summer break, take a moment to set your out-of-office message. This quick task helps keep communication flowing smoothly while you're away—and shows our commitment to great customer service even when we’re off the clock. Here’s how to make your message count:

On a typical day, Facilities Management’s Space Management team is juggling space change requests, analyzing space-use data, and collaborating with campus partners to find efficient, data-informed solutions for evolving space issues. Part puzzle, part problem-solving, university space management is about making sure the rooms and buildings on campus, like classrooms, offices, study spaces, and labs, are being used in the best way possible.