| The institution operates and maintains physical facilities, both on and off campus, that appropriately serve the needs of the institution’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities. (Physical facilities) |
Judgment of Compliance
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Narrative
Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is committed to providing and maintaining physical facilities through continual assessment of needs, monitoring quality, and improving operations and maintenance of our facilities. The University operates and maintains physical facilities, both on and off campus, that are adequate to serve the needs of the institution’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities.
Development and maintenance of the physical plant is under the supervision of the Vice President for Finance and Operations [1] [2]. The Director of the Physical Plant manages the day-to-day operations. The Director of Physical Plant also has administrative responsibility for preventative maintenance, new construction, and long-term planning.
Physical Facilities
In the fall of 2007 the SHSU campus contained 227 buildings encompassing over 3,577,644 gross square feet of space [3]. Total acreage of the University is about 2,373 acres of which 272 acres are considered improved and maintainable. Of these buildings, 49 buildings, valued at $311,416,000, are dedicated to educational and general functions. The remaining 54 auxiliary buildings are valued at $177,909,000. A map of the campus is included in the supporting documents [4].
While most of the buildings are located on the main campus just south of downtown Huntsville, SHSU also has an Observatory facility (2 acres) north of the campus off State Highway 19, the Gibbs ranch (1,584 acres) north of the campus off of State Highway 75, a recreational facility (345 acres) off of State Highway 19, an Agricultural, Sports, and Educational Center (33 acres) off of College Farm Road and bordering along the Interstate 45 North access road, the Fish Hatchery Field Station (247 acres) off of Fish Hatchery Road on the northern edge of the city limits, and an 18 hole golf course (157 acres) along Interstate 45 South across from the Agriculture Center.
SHSU had a total of 1,009,080 assignable square feet of Educational and General space in the fall of 2006. A space deficit of nearly 328,909 assignable square feet (ASF) was projected in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Fall 2006 Space Model. The University is presently constructing a new academic classroom and office building which will lower the deficit by approximately 86,837 ASF. In addition a new performing arts building presently in design will reduce the deficit another estimated 95,453 ASF.
The University holds classes at various off-campus sites. In a few cases, space is rented from an area high school or from a local hotel. Sam Houston State University is a partner in a multi-institutional teaching center in The Woodlands. The University Center is a three story facility with approximately 78,000 square feet owned by Lone Star College. The partners rent space on a prorated basis. Maintenance costs are shared by the partners but the responsibility for maintenance remains with Lone Star College.
Residential Facilities
Sam Houston State University has 8 residence halls, 20 small houses (occupancy of 36-48), and one apartment complex [5]. The combined capacity of these facilities is 3,293 students. Included in these facilities is a house reserved for Honors students, and two houses reserved for the Bearkat Learning Community, a freshman living-learning cohort. All halls and houses are provided security through a card-access system, with the exception of White Hall, whose rooms open directly to the outside, and the apartments. All facilities receive 24-hour maintenance coverage and are inspected and repaired as required on a continual basis [6]. Most maintenance is handled by an in-house 12-man team; however, occasional assistance is provided by the university’s Physical Plant or outside contractors. ADA compliant rooms and apartments are available for students requiring special facilities. Custodial services for the facilities are provided by a private contractor. Students are encouraged to give feedback regarding their living situation via an annual student housing survey [7].
Recreation Facilities
SHSU operates and maintains a variety of recreational facilities that enhance the educational mission of the institution [8]. It maintains one shared 150,000 square foot recreation facility comprised of basketball courts, indoor running track, racquetball courts, multipurpose rooms, weight and conditioning rooms, locker-rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, and academic space. It also maintains a 100,000 square foot coliseum used for academic and non-academic purposes. Outdoor recreational facilities include five outdoor multipurpose sport fields, one – one quarter of a mile jogging/running track, two outdoor sand volleyball courts, eight lighted tennis courts, and a 345 acre camp used for outdoor pursuits, new student orientations, student leadership development programs, and other university initiatives. All facilities are ADA compliant and are open to the student and university population seven days per week throughout the academic school year. Students are solicited every semester to provide input into the decision making process that govern the management of the recreational facilities both on and off campus through electronic and paper surveys.
Dining Service Facilities
The University contracts with Aramark to provide dining services on campus. The University has a large dining facility in Belvin Hall. Aramark also maintains two fast food areas, one in the Student Center, The Paw Print, and another, The South Paw, on the south side of campus [9]. On average, Aramark serves over 3,100 meals a day at Belvin Hall during the fall and spring semesters.
Master Plan and Campus Planning
As a part of Sam Houston State University’s continuing effort to plan responsibly for campus growth, the University is presently in the process of updating its Campus Master Plan. The last Campus Master Plan, Y2K + 10, was completed in the summer of 2001 and it has provided the road map for several projects completed and underway. Since 2001, 42 facilities projects were undertaken, completed or in progress at a cost of $210,135,976. Due to the length of time since the last campus master plan was completed and the degree to which it was executed, a new campus master plan has been initiated [10] [11] [12] [13]. The University has enlisted the services of JJR Planning Consultants of Ann Arbor, Michigan to complete a Campus Master Plan Update by summer 2008. JJR is joined by WHR Architects, E&C Engineers, and Project Cost Resources all of Houston, Texas to assist in the effort.
Capital project planning involves the collection of projects originating from both the Campus Master Plan and the Strategic Planning Process. Following the procedures outlined in Campus Policy “Building Modifications,” projects are continually forwarded to the Physical Plant office of Facilities Planning & Construction where they are retained in a database for future capital planning [14]. Each summer the projects are reviewed and coordinated with the campus administration resulting in a list of projects approved for submission to the Board of Regents and if necessary to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).
Each July, as part of the campus planning process, SHSU submits a Capital Expenditure Plan (MP1) Summary Report to the THECB [15]. The report includes any proposed new construction greater than $250,000, repair and rehabilitation greater than $1,000,000, information resource projects greater than $1,000,000, and property purchases for any amount that may be submitted within the next five years to the Board, regardless of funding source. Major construction, renovation and demolition projects are listed on the MP1 report.
In October of each year deferred maintenance is reported to the THECB via the Assessment of Deferred Maintenance and Demolition Needs (MP2) Summary Report and the Deferred Maintenance Expenditures (MP4) Summary Report [16] [17]. Deferred maintenance is broken into two components – Critical Deferred Maintenance (CDM) and Deferred Maintenance (DM). CDM is defined as a physical condition of a building or facility that places the occupants at risk of harm or the facility at risk of not fulfilling its functions. DM is described as existing or imminent building maintenance-related deficiency from prior years that needs to be corrected, or scheduled preventive maintenance tasks that were not performed because other tasks funded within the budget were perceived to have a higher priority status. SHSU has $3,910,000 in DM which is under 5.0% of E&G replacement value, the goal established by the THECB. The THECB goal for CDM is zero dollars. SHSU currently has CDM of $1,090,000 consisting of two projects. Both projects are in design.
At a Board of Regents meeting SHSU submits a 6-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the Board for their approval [18]. Thereafter, SHSU follows the CIP as a roadmap for construction, renovation, maintenance, and demolition projects for the next year. The CIP is updated annually at a quarterly meeting of the Board of Regents.
The Physical Plant Department oversees the execution of all campus improvement projects and tracks in more detail the status of each project over $5,000 in a report entitled the Maintenance, Renovation and Construction (MRC) Report [19]. There is approximately $86,768,875 in projects assigned to project managers for completion in the 2008 MRC program.
Maintenance and Operations
The Physical Plant Department is responsible for the maintenance and operation of all facilities at SHSU. The goal of the Physical Plant is to provide safe, clean, attractive and energy efficient buildings that are conducive to teaching, research, living and recreation activities. The Physical Plant uses a full scale computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to record, track and complete all customer requirements for maintenance or building improvements. The Physical Plant maintains and updates all the space and room inventories across the campus and provides this data to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) as changes occur. The accuracy of the inventory is confirmed on an annual basis in November to allow the THECB to calculate classroom and class lab utilizations for all universities in Texas. The results for SHSU can be compared with other state institutions as well as the standards set by the THECB [20].
The preventive maintenance (PM) program begins with a list of tasks prepared by each shop for building equipment or components under their responsibility [21]. Each shop task may have one or more buildings or pieces of equipment included in the task. The tasks are automatically generated by the CMMS according the period of recurrence established for each task. The preventive maintenance program is considered high priority as the philosophy of a good preventive maintenance program is to reduce unscheduled repair work orders. Implementing a strong preventive maintenance program reduces building and equipment failure, extends the life expectancy of buildings and supporting infrastructures, and maximizes the availability of campus facilities for the support of the SHSU mission. Preventive maintenance work orders receive the highest priority for shop scheduling after emergency repairs. After hours call-outs, overtime for repairs, replacement of parts is minimized by maintaining a good preventive maintenance program.
The Physical Plant provides maintenance services through an in-house work force of 149.5 personnel consisting of planning and construction, crafts, grounds, custodial, vehicle, sanitation, and administrative personnel as well as selective contract services for chiller maintenance, elevator maintenance, fire alarm inspections, sprinkler system inspections, fire extinguisher maintenance, and pest control services. Customers can request service or report problems in their facilities through the work control center of the Physical Plant in one of several ways. They may call, fax, or use the electronic request form on the Physical Plant WEB site to request assistance. After hours and on weekends service is obtained by calling the University Police Department who contacts the responsible craft. Work Control reviews all requests and routes them to the appropriate shop or office for further action. All work orders are entered into a computerized maintenance management system for tracking, reporting and billing purposes. Each month auxiliary departments are billed for maintenance performed in their respective buildings.
Through the structured handling of requests for service and the use of Building Liaisons in all buildings of the University, every effort is made on a continuing basis to meet the physical resources of Sam Houston State University in support of its mission.