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Facilities Management

Facilities Management is responsible for most of the work involved in maintaining, repairing and altering Smith’s residential, academic and administrative buildings.

Emergencies should be reported immediately to 413-585-2400. After hours and on weekends call 413-585-2490 for Campus Safety.

Department Updates

Announcements

Monday, September 16, 2024

Heating Season Start-up

Facilities Management will be turning on the heat to the campus starting on Monday, September 16, 2024. The process of getting heat to all buildings on campus takes approximately three weeks to complete. Thank you for your understanding through this time of transition.

Monday, September 16 through Thursday, September 19

Geothermal Drilling

The week of September 16th there will be Geothermal soil drilling along upper College Lane.  The drilling locations are primarily along the west edge of the street from the Conference Center up to the McCartney Hall construction site.  Traffic will be minimally impacted as two cars will not likely be able to pass the rig at the same time.  The street will remain open.

Utility Shutdowns

There are no shutdowns at this time.

A Sustainable Priority

Facilities Management plays a crucial role in supporting the college’s mission of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. From a fleet of hybrid vehicles to involvement in campuswide building projects, learn about the steps we’re taking to be a leader in sustainability.

More About the Initiative Sustainable Vehicles

About the Office

Customer Service

Customer service is responsible for greeting and directing anyone who visits facilities management, answering all phone calls, processing and routing work orders for any maintenance issues as well as dispatching any emergencies. Customer service is also in charge of ordering office supplies, programming pagers and scheduling vehicle requests and drivers.

Storeroom

The storeroom provides supplies and materials required for the daily operation of Smith College. In addition to maintaining an inventory of facilities supplies, the staff receives, transports and ships items for academic and academic support departments.

Building Services

The full-time custodial staff members in the building services division are assigned to four shifts and work in 58 buildings throughout the campus. The series of shifts starts at 5 a.m. and finishes at 2 a.m. Staff clean and maintain the academic and administrative buildings and assist with special events, trucking requests, office moves, snow removal, special projects and scheduled maintenance projects.

Residential Services

The residential services division is staffed with full-time custodians who are assigned to the student houses, including undergraduate apartments, Ada housing and a graduate house. This group supports dining services and the academic-year housekeeping positions in the 39 houses. The custodial staff is responsible for waste, recycling, laundry areas and snow removal as well as small and large maintenance projects. The housekeeping staff cleans all bathrooms, common rooms, corridors and staircases. This group also supports summer programs and completes maintenance projects in the houses during the summer months.

Financial Services

The financial services division is responsible for the administration, analysis, monitoring, forecasting and reporting of financial and budget information associated with facilities management. This includes managing the processing of accounts payables, receivables and payroll for facilities management. The staff monitors and facilitates energy procurement for the college and works closely with various college offices to develop and maintain financially sound and efficient business practices.

Capital Projects

The capital projects department coordinates and manages campus projects involving renovations and major construction of facilities from concept (initiation) to occupancy (completion). The department functions as a liaison between the college and our consultants, guiding the process and ensuring that the college's priorities and interests are properly represented throughout the planning, design and construction of new facilities or the renovation of existing ones. The department provides technical expertise and support to other departments within facilities management and the college in general concerning architectural and engineering design, building code compliance and construction management.

PROJECT MAP

Central Power Plant

The Smith College power plant was built in 1946 to provide steam for heating most of the buildings on campus. The steam, also used to create domestic hot water, is distributed through an extensive network of underground tunnels. The plant is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by licensed operators.

Over the years the power plant has undergone many upgrades. Our new cogeneration power plant more efficiently produces steam as well as electricity used throughout the campus.

HVAC

The HVAC department is responsible for the heating, cooling and ventilation requirements and all associated temperature controls in most of Smith’s buildings. The department operates a large computerized energy management system (EMS) and maintains the hardware and software of the entire system. The department is responsible for the preventive maintenance of air handlers, fans, pumps, air compressors, chillers, condensers and some boilers. This maintenance involves belt replacement, oiling and greasing of bearings and all air-filter replacements on a regular basis.

The Smith HVAC department also maintains the Dalton Pool mechanical equipment and daily monitoring of pool water chemistry. HVAC operates and maintains a chilled water plant, and monitors the corrosion control levels of 300,000 gallons of chilled water and dozens of closed heating system loops.

Plumbing

The plumbing department’s duties include plumbing, steam heating and sprinkler system repair, maintenance, alteration and installation. The plumbers take pride in a job well done and provide the best service for their customers, to make their time at Smith as comfortable as possible.

Carpentry

The carpentry group comprises six shops: carpentry, locksmith, paint, sign, window and sheet metal. On a campus containing more than 16,000 doors, a greater number of windows, and acres and acres of roofs, it’s impossible to walk anywhere without seeing the results of the talent and hard work the carpenters at Smith bring to the college on a daily basis.

Electrical

The electrical department is responsible for maintaining all electrified equipment, including all fixtures and devices throughout campus. Many of these systems are critical, including fire alarm systems, standby/emergency generators and elevators. The department also maintains infrastructure systems that you don't see, such as transformers, medium voltage distribution and building power systems. The electricians are responsible for campus lighting, emergency phones and the main timekeeping system that programs most campus clocks and repairs clocks as needed. They also support the electrical requirements for special events.

Grounds

The grounds department consists of groundskeepers, truck drivers, a loader operator, mechanics and laborers. The department maintains more than 33 acres of campus grounds and 15 acres of athletic fields, all of which require mowing, spraying, fertilizing, lawn repairs, leaf removal, mulching, tree work, snow removal, ivy and hedge trimming, irrigation repairs, drainage work, field prep, sidewalk and parking lot maintenance. The department is responsible for all recycling and waste removal and maintaining the equestrian indoor and outdoor riding arenas. The garage mechanics maintain more than 100 pieces of equipment and vehicles.

Health and Safety

The health and safety department is responsible for health and safety issues and regulatory (state, federal and local) compliance within facilities management and throughout the college. Their duties include asbestos inspection and removal, lead inspection and removal, indoor air quality investigation, fire extinguisher and kitchen suppression system inspection, campuswide annual building inspections, campus fire permits and inspections, hazardous waste management and cleanup, universal waste management, state diesel fuel taxes, Spill Pollution and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan, record keeping and training.

Staff

Facilities & Operations  Business Coordinator
413-585-2400
 

Chuck Dougherty 
Chief Engineer  
413-585-2471

Morgan Fuller 
Facilities Services Representative 
413-585-2400

Jennifer Graveline 
Facilities Services Director 
413-585-2426

John Labrie 
Facilities Grounds Operations Foreman 
413-585-2459

Jay Lucey 
Manager of Building Trades 
413-585-2412

Gerri Manley 
Administrative Coordinator 
413-585-2402

Sarah Marshall 
Supervisor of Custodial Inspection & Training 
413-585-2418

Brett McGuinness 
Assistant Manager of Building Services 
413-585-2419

Jackie Murphy-Henderson 
Supervisor of Residential Operations  
413-585-2457

Sheri O'Donnell
Facilities Services Representative
413-585-2400

Lynn Pelland
Facilities Services Assistant
413-585-2391

Louise Rouleau 
Assistant Manager of Night Operations 
413-585-2466

Josh Russell
Manager of Mechanical Trades
413-585-2461 

Larry Snyder
Associate Vice President for Campus Services, Operations, and Maintenance
413-585-7830

Art Usher
Manager of Facilities Services
413-585-2393

Contact Facilities Management

126 West Street
Northampton, MA 01063

Phone: 413-585-2400

Regular Business Hours
Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Summer Hours
Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

All routine service requests should be submitted online using FacilitiesLink.