Facilities Management teams regularly collaborate with UVA professors and students in the classroom, benefiting students’ learning and assisting with the department’s operations.
The future of construction
UVA engineering students have been learning first-hand from Facilities Management leadership, project management staff and UVA contractors about how to lead large-scale construction and infrastructure projects.
The new Construction Engineering and Management Concentration program launched by UVA’s Department of Engineering Systems and Environment has been collaborating with Facilities Management throughout the fall of 2021 and spring 2022 semesters.
Students have visited multiple UVA construction sites -- including Gilmer Hall, the Main Library and Contemplative Commons – and hosted a variety of guest speakers including Capital Construction & Renovations project managers and Facilities Management directors.
Hands-on skills
Construction & Renovations Services masons demonstrated some masonry techniques to School of Architecture students during the spring of 2022.
The masons visited the Architectural History Field Methods class -- led by Capital Construction & Renovations Architectural Conservator Mark Kutney and architecture professor Andrew Johnston – and helped lead a hands-on workshop with the students.
Improving our fleet
The Facilities Management Fleet team continued to partner with the School of Engineering to support and improve its award-winning Mindful Driver Training program, which combines driving safely and boosting fuel efficiency.
A capstone project completed by UVA systems engineering students and professors from the Department of Engineering Systems and Environment during the spring of 2022 studied the effectiveness of the Mindful Driver Training program, which was launched in 2021. The students found that the training program resulted in a significant reduction in the majority of unsafe and inefficient driving habits.
To study the effectiveness of the training, the students analyzed vehicle usage data of a selection of vehicles in the weeks following a training session. While each specific driving metric studied had varying timelines of improvement, the group found that the majority of driving trends stopped improving around 12 weeks following a training session and recommended that reinforcement trainings were created to help support a continuation of positive driving habits.
Lifelong learning
In addition to supporting the University’s students, Facilities Management works to support employees’ educational development.
In the spring of 2022, 23 employees participated in English classes with UVA VISAS (Volunteers with International Students, Staff, and Scholars), which is supported by Occupational Programs Diversity, Equity & Inclusion staff. The program serves international members of the UVA community and aims to help staff members improve their English, literacy and digital literacy skills.
Since the spring of 2021, multiple Facilities Management employees have been involved in the UVA Edge program, a one-year undergraduate experience designed for working adults.
The program is a partnership between the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies with the goal of widening access to the University among diverse populations, particularly UVA staff.
The first class of UVA Edge graduates included five FM employees who continued to assist with recruitment to encourage others to further their education.
Construction & Renovations Services Mason Plasterer Daisy Maine helps lead a hands-on workshop with School of Architecture students (Photo courtesy of School of Architecture). Facilities Management leadership met with UVA engineering students and a professor who have been studying the department's award-winning Mindful Driver Training program (Photo by Jane Centofante / Facilities Management). FM employees and VISAS volunteers gathered during an end-of-year celebration in April 2022 (Contributed photo).