UTSA Office of Facilities prepares campuses for fall semester

(August 12, 2016) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio Office of Facilities has been hard at work this summer preparing Main, Downtown, and Hemisfair campuses for new and returning students, staff and faculty.

“A lot of hard work goes into keeping the campuses beautiful,” said Dave Riker, associate vice president for Facilities. “We want our new students to have a great experience.”

Custodians work overnight to clean the floors and walls of buildings to keep them in top shape. Several facilities go through routine maintenance and inspections. Staff members check everything from electrical panels and exhaust fans in Roadrunner Café to elevators and clocks.

One of the big projects has been the food court remodel in the John Peace Library, in partnership with Campus Services and UTSA Dining. New tables and chairs have been added to make the space more inviting. Greens to Go is a new addition this year as well as a Provisions on Demand station. Students will also get to enjoy the library’s remodeled courtyard on the fourth floor.

“It’s always been kind of hot up there. We are installing an interesting shade structure with furniture and electrical outlets for laptops and phones,” said Paul Goodman, assistant vice president for Facilities Engineering & Project Management.

In addition to library renovations, some laboratories and classrooms have been updated. Routine inspections take place in the parking garages as well to make sure they are well lit.

Landscaping projects have likewise been ongoing and crosswalks and other street markings have been repainted. A new sidewalk was added on the Main Campus at Brenan Ave. and Loop 1604, which was something students requested.

In July, UTSA’s top-tier Facilities team was recognized for its hard work year-round. UTSA received the 2016 Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA): Leadership in Educational Facilities Award for Excellence, the nation's premier honor for a higher education facilities management organization. UTSA is the first University of Texas System institution and one of only three institutions in the state of Texas ever to receive the award.

-Kara Mireles

-------------------------------

Learn more about UTSA Office of Facilities.

Learn more about UTSA Campus Services.

Connect online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Events

Wednesday, April 24, 11:30 a.m.

Denim Day

Join the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.

Student Union Window Lounge, Main Campus

Wednesday, April 24, 5:00 p.m.

Simplifying Citations With Zotero

Learn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.

Virtual Event

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Submit an Event

Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.