Information for Students

Service/Key Request Submission
Questions and Answers for Students

Q: How do I submit a Service Request to Physical Facilities?

A: Complete a Physical Facilities Service Request form, available in your residential life complex office and return to the secretary. The secretary will assign it a number, keep a copy for Residential Life to use, and give the remaining copies to either the complex's custodial supervisor or the maintenance person.

Q: What should I ask for in the request?

A: The request should be brief, yet specific. For example: rather than requesting a repair to a sink, state the faucet is dripping or the drain is plugged. When asking for furniture repair, specify upholstery, wood, plastic or metal repair. The repair may take less time if Physical Facilities knows the specifics in advance.

Q: Where does the request go then?

A: The custodial supervisor or area maintenance person reviews the request. If it is within the purview of the maintenance person, the work will be scheduled locally. If the request is over and above the local capability, it will be routed to the Customer Service Center (CSC) for further assignment.

Q: What kind of work will the area maintenance person perform?

A: Generally, the area maintenance person will perform tasks up to semi-difficult plumbing, electrical, and carpentry. This person typically accomplishes approximately 90 percent of the repair work orders in the complex.

Q: What will be forwarded to CSC?

A: Larger, more difficult requests that require more specialized personnel and/or tools, or requests for alterations that may be chargeable to Residential Life, are sent to CSC.

Q: What kinds of requests go through the Residential Life office and what should be called in to CSC?

A: Repairs that are not an emergency such as dripping faucets, non-working desk lamps, malfunctioning blinds, or de-tripling of rooms are routine service requests and go through Residential Life. Severe electrical or plumbing problems should be called in to CSC as soon as possible. Fire should be called immediately to 911 and followed up to the CSC or ECSC for cleanup and repairs.

Q: How long should I expect to wait for a repair?

A: Normal work requests should be acted upon within one to five days depending upon the workload of the maintenance person. *Emergency requests will receive immediate action and *Do-It-Now requests are addressed within 72 hours. *Event and *Routine requests are added to the queue and will be addressed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Q: What if repairs are not made in a reasonable time frame?

A: If repairs are not made in a timely manner, contact your area office and ask them to check the status of your request. They will check to insure that the work has been requested and will follow-up with Physical Facilities.

Q: What about re-keys? Should they be called in? Will students be charged? When will the student have to pay for overtime?

A: Residential Life should call in re-keys immediately upon notification from students or RDs in order to insure security and to minimize overtime work. Physical Facilities will make every effort to postpone their scheduled work and begin the re-keying process as soon as possible upon notification. Once the Lockshop has begun the re-keying process, the student will be charged for the work even if the "lost" keys are located. Students will be charged overtime if the work cannot be accomplished during normal working hours or if a callback was required.

Binghamton University Physical Facilities / Residential Life
Joint ECSC (Emergency Customer Service Center) Procedures

These joint procedures have been established to improve communications between Physical Facilities and Residential Life which will allow both groups to effectively serve the needs of their constituents, their respective departments, and the entire University community.

1. Residential Life and Emergency Customer Service Center (ECSC) staff should treat each other with respect and in a manner designed to assist one another both in person and on the telephone. If you believe you are not being treated in this manner, report this information to your supervisor so that appropriate follow up can occur.

2. All calls from Residential Life to the ECSC (Ext. 7-2341) shall only originate with the Resident Director (R.D.), except in extreme emergencies, such as fire or flood, where calls will be accepted from R.A.'s or students. The only other exception is that calls will be accepted from Resident Assistants (R.A.'s) in the Hillside and Susquehanna Communities. During times when the residence halls are closed, calls will be accepted from students in the Susquehanna Community.

3. It was agreed that the R.D. should accompany ECSC on all calls, whenever available. It will be extremely important for EMOC personnel to coordinate the time and place of their arrival with the individual placing the call to ensure their availability to meet them on site.

   If Residential Life staff is not available to accompany the ECSC personnel, it is at the discretion of ECSC as to whether or not they will enter the room to perform the service if there are only students present. It is also a student's right to deny ECSC access if they are not accompanied by Residential Life staff. ECSC personnel have been instructed not to enter a student's room if there is no one in the room and if they are not accompanied by a representative of Residential Life, except in instances of imminent threat to life or property, such as a fire or flood.

   The following outlines staffing at other times of the day:
   Midnight - 8:00 a.m. R.A.'s on call, however, they are usually in their rooms rather than in their offices.
   8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Residential Life staff on duty in offices.
   5:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. R.D. on call.

   Residential Life will provide Physical Facilities with a current copy of an R.D. / R.A. staff listing and update as necessary.

4. All cold/hot calls should come from the R.D. (or R.A only in Hillside and Susquehanna). Before calling ECSC, the R.D. should assure that the student's windows are closed and all furniture is moved away from the heating elements (in cases of cold calls). If it is then determined that a call to EMOC is necessary, the R.D. should get specifics from the caller (ie., name, room number, phone number, etc.) Cold/hot calls should not be received via a work order.

5. It is agreed that a small amount of broken glass (such as a beer or soda bottle) is not considered an "emergency." The student or Residential Life staff member should sweep up a small amount of broken glass rather than put in an emergency call to EMOC. Physical Facilities will provide brooms and dust pans to R.D.'s if requested.

6. Residential Life will provide one plunger to each apartment in the Hillside and Susquehanna Communities. Occupants would be able to utilize these for any minor plumbing problem.

7. Physical Facilities is in the process of developing updated hang tags to be left on a student's door knob. The hang tags notify the occupants that Physical Facilities was on site and the resolution of the problem (e.g., "corrected the problem", "could not access space", etc.). The R.D. will receive a copy of the hangtag.

8. It is agreed that a) students are responsible for cleaning up bodily fluids in their suites or rooms, except in extreme extenuating circumstances (i.e., student being transported to a hospital); and b) ECSC is responsible for cleaning bodily fluids in common areas.

9. Physical Facilities will purchase a couple of portable refrigerators to be used as loaners if a State-owned refrigerator breaks down after regular working hours (in the Susquehanna Community, Hillside Community, or any Resident Director's apartment only). This will alleviate the need to call-in a refrigeration person after hours. ECSC would be responsible for bringing the portable refrigerator to the student's apartment.

10. It was agreed that if Physical Facilities notices an electric heater in a student's room, they will report the room number to Residential Life so they may take the appropriate action for removal.

11. All repair calls related to washers and dryers should be forwarded to Auxiliary Services (Ext. 7-2883); those related to telephone repairs to Telecommunications (Ext. 7-2524); those related to the computers to the Computer Center (Ext. 76100); and those related to chemical spills or broken thermometers to University Police (Ext. 7-2393).

12. The pest control service is normally on campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All calls will be responded to on those days unless an extreme emergency occurs. Bees are generally not considered an emergency, unless ECSC is notified that a student is allergic to bees or is unsure whether or not they are allergic.

13. Following is a sample list of "emergencies" which warrant a phone call to ECSC and "non-emergencies" which can wait until the next day:

    Emergencies:

    • Fire, smoke, gas smell
    • Several electrical outlets not working
    • Several lights out in a darkened area
    • Broken windows
    • Plugged toilets
    • Running (not dripping) faucets
    • Lost keys / rekeys
    • Discharged fire extinguishers
    • Security-related issues (malfunctioning entrance doors, etc.)
    • Asbestos-related concerns
    • Broken locksets

    Non-emergencies:

    • Lights out in an area where other lights are present and do not present a safety hazard
    • Dripping water
    • Inappropriate disposal of food

14. Elevator repairs are generally not considered emergencies unless a) there is someone stuck in it, or b) it is the O'Connor Hall elevator which is considered handicap accessible. If an elevator needs to be shutdown during off-hours, University Police should be contacted.

15. At the beginning of each school year, Physical Facilities shall be afforded an opportunity to meet with R.D.'s to orient staff to these and other Physical Facility procedures and answer any pertinent questions.