Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual - Policy 5050: Facility Maintenance, Repair, and Alteration

Date Originally Issued: 01-04-2018

Authorized by RPM 7.9 ("Property Management")

Process Owner: Associate Vice President for Institutional Support Services

1. General

This policy defines institutional and departmental responsibilities relating to University facility maintenance, repair, and alterations. To ensure adherence to UNM standards and regulatory requirements for health and safety, the University employs a professional staff dedicated to the effective planning, construction, and operation of all campus facilities. The construction, maintenance, repair, and alteration of University facilities shall not be performed by non-authorized employees, students, or volunteers.

Unless otherwise authorized in this policy, only the Facilities Management Department and Planning, Design, and Construction (PDC) can authorize facilities work at UNM’s Albuquerque Campuses and the UNM West campus.  Individuals wishing to perform facilities work at branch or off-campus facilities should consult the appropriate administrators at those locations. Any facilities work authorized by administrators of branch or off-campus facilities must conform to local codes and University standards.

All facilities work must be done in accordance with Title II and accessible design/ADA standards.

For the purpose of this policy, “facilities work” is defined as any work that modifies campus buildings or grounds (such as replacing, modifying, relocating, removing, or painting doors, walls, windows, shelving, or flooring; the alteration or penetration of corridors or ceilings; adding on to or dividing existing space; and work on any building utility system).

Additional information on facility maintenance, services, and standards may be found on the Facilities Management (http://ppd.unm.edu) and PDC (http://pdc.unm.edu) websites.

2. Institutional Responsibilities

The University provides basic facility services, such as custodial services, waste disposal, recycling and building maintenance and repair, through Facilities Management and PDC. These services may be without charge or chargeable, depending on the unit and source of funding. The University also has funding for minor repairs and improvements, covering basic building renewal and safety projects. Some central funds are targeted for improving access accommodations. Alterations work on components and systems of University facilities (buildings and grounds) must be coordinated or performed by either Facilities Management or PDC, depending on project scope. This includes gifts in place (in-kind donations) and foundation supported contracts, and ensures compliance with applicable codes and University requirements.

2.1. Facilities Management Department

The primary mission of Facilities Management is to perform the essential maintenance, repair, and minor alteration services necessary to make and keep the University’s campuses operational, safe, and in compliance with legal requirements set forth in law or code and UNM standards. 

These services are provided without charge to UNM programs or departmental budgets that are classified as Instructional and General (I&G). Priority for non-chargeable services is given first to building infrastructure, then common use areas, then specific departments or units.

Facilities Management may provide other services that are chargeable, within time and resource constraints.  This includes services for units that are not classified as I&G (such as auxiliary or research), student organizations, or other chargeable requests by staff and faculty in departments.  Such services will be charged to the requesting program, department, or student organization. Examples of chargeable services include:

• installation of personal property (such as framed pictures or documents)
• non-standard classroom configurations, and
• installation of fixed and non-fixed equipment in spaces not classified as I&G (such as fume hoods and biosafety cabinets in research areas).

Goods and services acquired from outside contractors must be handled and installed in accordance with this policy. This includes maintenance and repair of items ordered through the Purchasing Department, which require installation or which impact building systems.

2.1.2. Facilities Management Service Requests and Completion

Requests for Facilities Management services should be submitted by completing an online I-service Request, http://iservicedesk.unm.edu/, or by calling 277-1600.  Once a request is received, Facilities Management will assign a work order number and make a determination on whether the services will be classified as chargeable or non-chargeable.

If the request is determined to be chargeable, the department contact will be notified in writing and provided with a work order number and an estimate of the cost of the services. The estimates are non-binding and are intended to assist the department in determining whether it wants to authorize Facilities Management to proceed with performance.  If the requesting department wishes to have the work order executed, it should reply to Facilities Management in writing and provide an index number and specific authorization to schedule and perform the services. When the service is performed, departments will be billed the actual cost of performing the services. This may include overtime labor rates if work is performed outside normal business hours. If the department disputes the determination that the services are chargeable, it should contact the Manager of Facilities and Maintenance. Facilities Management will automatically cancel the work order if departmental authorization to proceed has not been received within ten (10) working days.

Facilities Management will schedule work orders to meet the requirement of a specified completion date and time, and will notify departments if the services cannot be performed as requested. If a completion date is not specified, PPD will schedule work orders in the order received.

Inquiries about work orders in process should be made by phone to the Facilities Management Work Control Center (277-1600) or by contacting your Facilities Management Area Manager.  The work order number will be required in order to respond to any inquiry.

2.2. Planning, Design, and Construction

PDC facilitates best practices in project development, management, and construction for the University and provides comprehensive guidance related to the institution’s built environment. This includes campus master planning, programming, design development, building efforts, and best design practices.  Project requests may be submitted online at goto.unm.edu/projectintake. Prior to initiating a project request, individuals shall consult with the appropriate department administrator to determine specific department policies and procedures for requesting facilities work.

3. Departmental Responsibilities

Facilities and space are allocated in accordance with UAP 5200 (“Allocation and Assignment of Space”).  Deans, directors, and department heads are responsible for ensuring that space is used for the purposes assigned, and used in ways that promote the health and safety of all who use or visit the department's facilities.

All members of the University community have a responsibility to treat campus facilities with care; to avoid any actions that create dangerous, hazardous, unsafe, or unhealthful conditions; and to report any such conditions that they may see. The University relies on department heads and supervisors to inform and educate the students, faculty, staff, and visitors to department facilities about their use. Department responsibilities include:

• Authorizing access to space in restricted or secured areas and after hours;
• Having unit emergency plans, disaster mitigation and recovery plans, and identifying unit responsibilities for the safe storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials; and
• Following all University policies and procedures for facility alterations, maintenance, and repair, including this policy.

3.1. Departmental Maintenance Staff

Departments, primarily self-sustaining units (such as Residence Life and Student Housing, Athletics, Student Union Building, Popejoy Hall, UNM Bookstore, and Science and Technology Park) that have, or intend to have, staff hired specifically for departmental maintenance and small alteration tasks, must have a memorandum of understanding with Facilities Management. Those agreements must be periodically reviewed, to ensure that the work accomplished by these units does not exceed what can be done safely and in compliance with applicable regulatory codes. These agreements do not negate the department's responsibility to comply with UNM standards; environmental, safety, and health regulations; and permitting processes.

The Real Estate Department handles proposed alterations in leased spaces as well as spaces managed by that office. Parking and Transportation Services is responsible for lot maintenance and related services.

4. Violations

Departments that violate this policy, whether with paid staff or volunteers or using an outside contractor, will be responsible for all costs associated with bringing work into compliance with University standards. Any fees, fines, or penalties that are assessed for violations of public codes and requirements are also the responsibility of the department. Individuals violating this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

5. Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy will require advance written approval from the Executive Director for Institutional Support Services, after those requests have gone through the intake process (see Section 2.2). Approval generally will be given for simple projects that can be completed safely with minimum risk of injury.

6. References

UAP 5200 (“Allocation and Assignment of Space”)

Facilities Management Department

Planning, Design, and Construction