SWISH Program preps campus housing for 2021 Fall Semester

Picture this. The August heat is sweltering, cars-packed with students' belongings-are rolling through the roundabout and lining up to unpack their things in campus housing and the summer calm of campus is building into buzzing chatter as the 2021 Fall Semester quickly approaches. With a new environment comes countless emotions for students and their families-anxiety, eagerness, excitement and more. As students and their families begin moving their belongings into new spaces, they notice everything is spotless. Paint is fresh, utilities function efficiently and provided furniture is well-maintained and neatly organized. It seems like a miracle everything is practically perfect, right? That miracle is a result of the tireless work of the USI Facility Operations and Planning Department.  

The Summer Workers Improving Student Housing (SWISH) Program, formerly known as the Summer Rehab Program, began operations May 10, and will finish sprucing up campus housing July 30, just in time for students to return to campus. In years past, student workers have assisted in the SWISH Program, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to be more efficient, the program is solely in the hands of the Facility Operations and Planning team, along with occasional assistance from outside contractors.  

To make the SWISH Program successful this year, the University custodial staff has been split in half, with 24 custodial employees currently cleaning and prepping approximately 818 dorms/apartments. The remaining 24 custodial employees are spread over campus, keeping it clean and functional until the SWISH Program wraps in late July.  

There are 14 maintenance employees at the University, and 12 of them are ensuring campus housing toilets, sinks, cabinetry, lighting, electrical outlets and drywall are functioning properly and in tip-top shape. If renovations are needed, maintenance employees are called in. On the occasional day, this means two or three maintenance employees oversee keeping the entire campus afloat while the others make necessary renovations in campus housing. 

Painting and maintaining air conditioning and heating units are jobs outside contractors tackle. Four outside contractors are assigned certain dorm and apartment locations, and two outside contractors service air conditioning and heating units, ensuring filters are clean and units are running as efficiently as possible.  

Once hours, days and months of renovations are made to campus dorms and apartments, University inspectors will walk through living spaces to certify spaces are "Live-in Ready." Inspectors will generate a list of things missed or things they feel could be done better, and all trades will then get a check list. After checklists are evaluated, custodial and maintenance employees report back to rooms that need additional work to adequately prepare the spaces for the Fall Semester. 

While the transition to campus brings levels of change for students and their families, one thing is for sure-they will have confidence in their new living spaces due to the dedication of the Facility Operations and Planning Department. As the SWISH Program continues work this summer, make sure to thank a custodial or maintenance employee for their often-unnoticed work. The work these employees perform make our University home. 

This feature was written by Kaylee Johnson, Graduate Assistant in University Communications.