IPFW is cutting some custodial services, now that five custodians and two maintenance workers have taken early retirement packages. Due to the hiring freeze at the university, the workers won’t be replaced. This means faculty will have to clean their own offices.
The director of physical plant and campus safety, Jay Harris, says with a university of IPFW’s size, about 56 custodians should be on staff. But now, there’s 43.
When asked if there was a minimum number of custodial staff that IPFW should have, Harris said the university has already reached it, and that’s why services will be reduced. Faculty will have to start emptying their own trash cans and possibly mopping or dusting their office starting in the new year.
Three years ago, the custodial staff was reduced, which meant some services were cut. Instead of everyday trash pickup, it moved to every other day. But after custodial staff retires at the end of the year, those services will be cut even more. Faculty members will have to take out their own trash and bring it to a centrally located trash can, since IPFW is operating with 13 fewer custodians than it should have.
Harris says it’s unfortunate, but everyone with have additional responsibilities, so that it’s not just custodial and maintenance staff shouldering the burden. He says the primary goal will be to keep public areas of the university clean, safe and operational.
