Published on September 29, 2017  

We hope your semester is off to a great start! We are writing to provide an update regarding the Campus Master Plan, Campus Safety, and other matters. Operations and Planning is a unit under the division of Business and Financial Affairs. It includes: Facilities Management, Capital Planning and Improvement, Public Safety and Emergency Management, Parking and Transportation, Sustainability, and Events Management.

Facilities Maintenance Work Scheduled for Fall Break

  • We will close portions of the top of the Northeast Deck (near Brock School of Business/Robinson Hall) to finish the waterproofing sealant process on Thursday October 5 and will reopen it on Wednesday October 11.
  • We will insert a liner into a sewer pipe at the University Center. This is part of our on-going effort to minimize “aromas” at the University Center.
  • We will set up equipment staging around Burns, Reid, and Chapman and Ingalls as those buildings are now under construction to create the new home of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences and new home (Ingalls) for Admissions and Student Financial Services. We will do our best to route pedestrian traffic in the most sensible manner but it will be detoured through the duration of this project to conclude in June 2018.
  • The pedestrian connector between West Campus and West Village will be completed.
  • Sidewalk repairs will be on-going throughout the semester.

Campus Safety Update

  • The process for requesting keys has changed. In compliance with University Key Policy 3.15 a Key Request Form is now available online in Forms Central. Anyone requesting a new key should complete the form, get appropriate signatures and attach it to the School Dude work order. Facilities will make the key and it must be picked up by the recipient.
  • We will be conducting a campus wide key inventory starting in October. Each person will be asked to account for the keys in their possession. More details will be forthcoming next week.
  • Evening lock up schedules have been implemented with academic buildings being locked nightly between 10pm-12am. Students can study 24/7 in the University Center. Please be mindful of locking your offices and spaces when not in use. Please don’t leave valuables such as laptops or cash unsecured in your office. Please call Public Safety at x2020 if you notice anything unusual or find doors unsecured.
  • West Gate procedures have changed. From 10pm-6am anyone entering campus will need a Samford ID and/or must be a registered guest of a student or employee. Call x2020 if you are expecting a guest, vendor, or other visitor during the nighttime hours.
  • Card readers are now installed on all exterior doors of Freshman housing. Upon return from Fall Break, residents of Smith, Vail, Pittman and Evergreen will access their residence halls via their Samford ID card.
  • A University wide Fire Drill will be held on October 19 at 2:00pm (a previous message said 10am; however, the drill was set by Academic Affairs to be 2pm). Please make plans to participate. Faculty will need a copy of their class roster in order to take roll upon arriving at your rally point. Further instructions will follow.
  • Samford’s first Emergency Readiness day was a tremendous success. Held on Ben Brown Plaza on September 20 and hosted by Samford Public Safety in collaboration with the Emergency Readiness Team the day showcased our internal and external emergency readiness partners. Students and employees received hands-on-experience with AED/CPR, CERT Teams, Cybersecurity, Samford’s Emergency Plans, Fire and Rescue, Red Cross Assistance, any many more learning opportunities. We are already planning for next year.

Campus Master Plan Update…Next Steps

Phase 1 of the Campus Master Plan is well underway. View the executive summary online. Here are our broad next steps:

  • Complete renovation of Burns, Chapman, and Ingalls as the new home of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Spiritual Life, and Admissions and Financial Aid. Expected completion: June 2018.
  • Complete Renovation of the Rotunda and Rotunda Club. Expected completion: December 2017.
  • Complete move of Public Safety to Seibert Hall, 3rd floor. Expected completion: October 2017.
  • Planning for renovation of the Food Court. Expected completion: Summer 2018.
  • Planning for renovation of Buchanan. Construction to commence: May 2018.
  • Planning for relocation of JMC and Communication Studies. Expected move: Summer 2018.
  • Planning for relocation of Samford Online. Expected move: Summer 2018.
  • Planning for additional space for Graphic Arts/Design. Planning Fall/Spring 2017-18
  • Planning for additional Freshman Housing. Planning Fall/Spring 2017-18
  • Planning for vacated space in Samford Hall (when Admissions/Student Financial Services move to Ingalls). Fall/Spring 2017-18
  • Other small projects as defined and prioritized (see info below).

Campus Master Plan Sustainability Update

October is Campus Sustainability Month and we will be celebrating nearing completion of the implementation of sustainability infrastructure enhancements such as windows, lighting, low-flow faucets, sanitary fixtures, some new HVAC systems, building systems controls, and building envelope enhancements. We will share some facts/figures/metrics with the campus so you can see how our progress is making a difference.

The Office of Sustainability is also preparing an annual plan of activities and initiatives centered around being good stewards of our environment. We will roll out our ideas and initiatives in the coming months.

Requested Renovation or Significant Maintenance Projects

The Office of Capital Planning and Improvement is responsible for construction and renovation projects on campus. In order to appropriately schedule upcoming projects, all renovation requests for work to be completed over Jan Term were due on September 15. We received five academic space design requests, seven deferred maintenance/infrastructure requests (roofs, mechanical systems, etc.), six residence hall requests, and eight requests for planning for future construction/renovation.

The deadline to submit project requests for completion in summer 2018 is January 15, 2018, via our capital request form located online. We currently have 17 pending requests for summer.

The Provost and Executive Vice President will be working to prioritize the list and help us determine what we can accomplish.

Office of Events Management

The Office of Events Management is now accepting requests for summer camps for 2018. Registration closes on October 15. To request a camp, fill out the form located here. Facilities and Residence Life have worked together to create a three-year plan for effectively housing summer camps. In mid-November, we will meet with all camp hosts to discuss our plans and help you prepare for the best camp experience possible.

Attend SPACES training.

Register your tailgate event.

Please note the Rotunda Club is closed for renovation through December 2018 and Reid Chapel is closed to renovation through June 2018.

Parking and Transportation

Old parking decals expired on August 31, 2017, and tickets for expired decals are being issued. New parking decals can be requested through the portal.

SamTram shuttles have had some recent issues with the Ride Systems app not displaying correct wait times. Those issues are resolved and shuttle wait times should now be accurate.

Please let us know any suggestions for improvement to parking and transportation at parking@samford.edu