DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The Facilities Department is responsible for all maintenance and groundskeeping. The office oversees all major construction, renovation projects and planned improvements for John Carroll University.

The Facilities Department is managed by the Associate Vice President of Facilities. Contact the Facilities Department at 216-397-4314. The following are the main sub-groupings within the department and the associated description of services.

Construction | Facilities/Physical Plant | Facilities Management Services | Planning & Implementation

CONSTRUCTION

The JCU Construction Department is handled by Director of Construction Rich Bretz. Rich can be reached at 216-397-4313 or by e-mail at rbretz@jcu.edu.

The JCU Construction Department serves construction and renovation needs across campus. Projects range in size, scale, and scope of work. Larger projects will typically employ an independent Construction Manager or lead General Contractor. Smaller projects are handled 100% in-house with individual contractors, purchase orders for materials, and managed by the Director of Construction. Selection of project contractors/vendors and companies, as well as architects and consultants is done on an individual basis in a variety of methods to suit the project. Most often the sealed lump-sum bid method is employed.

Contractors and vendors are pre-qualified and those new to work at JCU are encouraged to complete and forward the Contractor Pre-Qualification Form.

The form of contract is a modified JCU Purchase Order with special terms and conditions to suit the University's needs and a given project. All on-site labor requires Commercial General Liability and Automobile Insurance in a minimum amount of $1M as well Workers Compensation Insurance. JCU shall be named as an additional insured on all policies of insurance prepared for JCU.

JCU employs a variety of contractors and vendors all suited to handle specific project tasks or requirements. JCU encourages the use of minority and female owned businesses and also encourages the use of minorities and females for the on-site work force.

All contractors working on-site must adhere to project-specific rules and University protocol. In addition all contractors must maintain a current University Heights license and be responsible for project permits required by law and the City of University Heights. Those unfamiliar to University Heights are encouraged to visit their website or call the UH Building Department at 216-978-3200. The UH Building Department also sets specific working hours, rules and regulations so all contractors must familiarize themselves with this criteria prior to starting work on a project.

Contractors must recognize that JCU students, faculty, staff, and administrators come first at all times and that working situations must always be situated in light of this fact when bidding and planning of work in conjunction with working with the Facilities Department at JCU. Interface on-site often times includes facilities staff and personnel, the Office of Residence Life, faculty, Campus Safety Services, the local UH Building Department, and/or local UH Fire Department.

JCU prides itself on providing first class amenities on our campus to all of our constituents. We look forward to working with you on a project in the near future, either as an internal customer and/or as external contractors/vendors.

FACILITIES/PHYSICAL PLANT

As one will see upon a visit to any part of campus, inside or out, John Carroll University prides itself on the property and facilities to which it owns. Care and planning are at the core of the Facilities Department, which houses the Office of Physical Plant. Physical Plant is run by Director of Physical Plant, Bernie Beyer. Bernie can be reached at 216-397-4317 or by e-mail at bbeyer@jcu.edu.

The Physical Plant is comprised of non-unionized, permanent, full-time Maintenance and Grounds personnel. The Maintenance Department is currently made up of fifteen (15) staff and the Grounds Department is comprised of six (6) staff.

The Maintenance and Grounds staff respond to daily work order requests and preventive maintenance activities. The main communication tool for them is the University work order system referred to as Schooldude. Schooldude is an outsourced professional web-based work order management system housed on external servers. Presently this system is available on-line to all authorized users and is routinely utilized by students, faculty, staff, and administrators. It is the vehicle of choice when entering a work order to which the Maintenance and Grounds staff responds. The system also forwards certain work orders related to other departments such as Housekeeping and IT.

The staffs of both Maintenance and Grounds are well-trained for both their trade skills, as well as in the field of safety and material handling. Professional courses and hands-on vendor-established training is always available to the staff. In professional uniforms supplied through Cintas Corp., both Maintenance and Grounds personnel can be easily recognized across campus. 

The Maintenance and Grounds staff also support a number of University sponsored events, including Commencement, Parent & Family Weekend, Homecoming, and Alumni Reunion Weekend. Throughout the year this staff is called upon for set-up, take-down and stand-by in number of ways. All athletic events require stand-by as well as a number of student functions and holiday-related events all over campus.

The Grounds staff also supports the Facilities Department when needed for project related support and follow-up. Some University furniture moving from department to department falls under the jurisdiction of the Grounds Department. Snow removal in major parking areas is outsourced to a private company; however, snow removal for all other inner campus walkways and driveways is managed by the Grounds staff. Lawns, gardens, and flower beds on the main campus are all maintained by the Grounds Department.

The Maintenance staff plays a vital role in the weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual inspections of all fire alarm and sprinkler systems found on campus. They work closely with the local UH Fire Department and the University Office of Risk Management. Throughout the year they also support the local fire department on mock safety drills and spot inspections on campus.

The beauty of the campus surroundings as well as the functionality of systems and building operations found on the main campus is a direct result of the Physical Plant Department and their concerted efforts, of both the Maintenance and Grounds staff. For a copy of our Self Guided Walking Tour of the JCU Campus Click Here.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES

JCU Facilities Management is handled by Michael Roeder. Mike can be reached at 216-397-4760 or by e-mail at mroeder@jcu.edu.

Responsibilities include:

• Satisfying the many and diverse activities that occur daily on JCU's active campus
• Providing coordination among Facilities, Maintenance, and Grounds staff with other departments such as Campus Safety Services, Residence Life, and many others, as well as coordinating with City agencies as events dictate
• Assistance in planning annual student organization, athletic, and traditional University events such as Homecoming, Parent and Family Weekend, celebrated Masses on campus, Commencement, New Student Orientations, as well as all summer conferences held on campus
• Oversight of JCU's off-campus properties including Thorn Acres, Carrollodge and a select collection of residential homes surrounding the main campus
• Coordinating and planning for the Residence Hall furniture turnover for each new academic year
• Coordinating physical individual or departmental moves

Planning is the first step in making an event go off without a hitch. Those planning an upcoming event are encouraged to engage Mike early so that all the details of the special day, week or event can be planned successfully and communicated back to the campus community as necessary. Mike will meet with interested persons directly to get a sense of what is needed ( the "how, where, when") and then engage other groups, departments or contractor/vendors as needed for the planned event. Communication is key.

Because Facilities Management Services crosses the line into so many aspects of campus life and activities, the constant perspective and coordination and feedback to other members of the Facilities Department as a whole is extremely valuable.

PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION

JCU Planning and Implementation is handled by Kris Willis.  Kris can be reached at 216-397-4966 or by e-mail at kwillis@jcu.edu.

Responsibilities include:

• Satisfying the needs of individuals for issues within the physical, built environment
• Providing space planning and programming (functionality of space) for projects
• Providing budgeting for projects
• Fulfilling furniture and other fixtures and equipment requests with either existing or new furnishings (FF&E)
• Determining and coordinating material selections and finishes for various renovations and new construction projects (regarding health, safety, and welfare issues in addition to aesthetics)
• Coordinating ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) issues in the built environment across campus
• Implementing signage for both interior and exterior environments across campus
• Working with individuals regarding workplace ergonomic concerns
• Coordinating and planning physical individual or departmental moves often times in conjuction with Facilities Management Services
• Coordinating and implementing many other aspects relating to the functioning of the Facilities Department