Summer Insider 2019 final

Summer 2019
See inside
• MCORE
• Customer
Updates
• Academic
Collaboration
Coming soon!
Siebel Center for Design at Illinois
(see Summer Construction story on page 6)

A MESSAGE FROM THE
Executive Director
F&S prides itself on being an active partner in
research and learning on the Urbana campus.
The many capital improvement projects currently
transforming the university are high-profile examples
of our organizational mission.
Bringing these large-scale projects from long-term
planning into reality is only made possible through
terrific coordination and collaboration, with colleges,
departments, and units all focused on achieving a
common goal. When completed, the benefits of the
work for students, faculty, staff, and guests will include laboratory and classroom
modernizations, equipment upgrades, enhanced energy efficiency, and a more
sustainable learning and research environment.
What are now active construction sites will soon be state-of-the-art spaces filled
with individuals helping to define what excellence of scholarship, discovery,
and innovation means in the 21st century. F&S is extremely proud to contribute
to these transformative efforts from start to finish and then to continue to care
for the facilities and infrastructure that will help set the standard for academic
achievement in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
IN THIS ISSUE
3 MCORE Project 4
4 F&S Customer
Highlights
6 Summer Construction
Updates
8 High School and College
Students Learn at F&S
9 Commencement
10 Academic
Collaboration
11 Protecting Boneyard
Creek
12 Shop Spotlight
Dr. Mohamed Attalla, MBA, P.Eng.
Executive Director, Facilities & Services
APPRENTICES RETURNING TO F&S
After a 12-year absence, apprentices have
been hired to work in the Building Maintenance
department, at Abbott Power Plant,
and as temperature control mechanics. Their
return is thanks to an agreement worked out
between F&S and UA Local 149 Plumbers and
Pipefitters that resulted in a memorandum of
understanding between the two organizations.
Apprentices provide an excellent opportunity
for succession planning at the university in the
crafts and trades. Participating craftspersons
will gain skills, experience, and knowledge of
campus systems. The agreement will further
F&S’ strategic goals in support of the campuswide
commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Dr. Mohamed Attalla, executive director of F&S, said, “This remarkable and progressive agreement shows tremendous collaboration
between the two organizations to strengthen both the local organized labor market and the university workforce.”
2 • University of Illinois Facilities & Services

CAMPUS INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITY GROUNDBREAKING
This spring the university broke ground
for the new Campus Instructional Facility,
a building to open west of the Grainger
Engineering Library Information Center
in fall 2021. F&S Executive Director
Dr. Mohamed Attalla; F&S Architect &
Senior Planner, Capital Planning Doug
Reddington; Director of Facilities, College of
Engineering Qu Kim; and Clinical Professor
Yu-Feng Lin and Associate Quaternary
Geologist Andy Stumpf, both of the
Illinois State Geological Survey, along with
professionals from Pepper Construction,
SOM Architects, and Vermilion Campbell
Development, took part in the ceremony.
A private-public partnership allows for a
quicker construction timeline and the U of I
taking ownership of the building sooner.
Project 4: Campus Transportation Improvements
A highly traveled thoroughfare is being updated thanks
to a transportation infrastructure upgrade involving a
collaboration between the cities of Champaign and Urbana,
Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD), and the
University of Illinois. The Multimodal Corridor Enhancement
(MCORE) Project 4 will occur in phases. It began in March
2019 and continues through December 2020. The primary
goal is to improve safety and flow for pedestrians, bicyclists,
buses, and single-occupancy drivers who use the busy
corridor on campus: Armory Avenue, between Fourth Street
and Wright Street, and Wright Street, between Armory
Avenue and Springfield Avenue.
“This project presents significant challenges, as the
intersection of Wright and Armory has the heaviest volume
of pedestrian, bike, and bus traffic on campus,” said Stacey
DeLorenzo, transportation demand management coordinator
at F&S. “We hope to improve safety for pedestrians
and bicyclists while more effectively balancing all modes
of transportation.”
MCORE Project 4 is the latest in a series of five projects that
will improve the transportation infrastructure corridor in the
core of campus, linking Champaign, Urbana, and Campustown.
For more information, visit mcoreproject.com.
“We hope to improve safety for pedestrians and
bicyclists while more effectively balancing all
modes of transportation.”
Stacey DeLorenzo, transportation
demand management coordinator
One safety improvement is that the “cycle track”—the
segmented bike lane parallel to Wright Street—will be
removed because the separated bike way collects rubbish,
leaves, snow, and ice, making it difficult for street crews to
clean. Bikes will now use clearly marked lanes between the
road and sidewalk.
Insider, Summer 2019 • 3

F&S Customer Forum
4 • University of Illinois Facilities & Services
F&S held its 2019 Customer Forum at the I Hotel and
Conference Center on Wednesday, May 1. More than 125
campus customers attended the event, and approximately
60 F&S staff were on hand to help with everything from
registration to presenting breakout or poster sessions. This
eighth customer forum is part of an ongoing initiative to
improve customer satisfaction, foster collaboration across
campus, and fulfill the organization’s vision of being a
responsive, reliable, and highly valued service provider.
During the plenary session, F&S Executive Director Dr.
Mohamed Attalla highlighted F&S’ strategic plan for 2019–
2023. Discussing initiatives for FY20, he remarked on the
importance of diversity and inclusion, change management,
capital project delivery, and a plan for establishing service
levels; he also gave an overview of deferred maintenance
levels on the Urbana campus. Also discussed were on-time
and on-budget project management, a long-term energy
management plan, sustainability, space management,
and safety.
The day began with refreshments and posters sessions;
11 different areas and shops represented their work and
furthered the dialogue with their customers. Three breakout
sessions allowed customers to hear more in-depth
details about capital projects, sustainability, and building
service workers.
To view the presentations, visit
https://www.fs.illinois.edu/customers/customer-forums.

2019 Customer Forum Highlights
The F&S Customer Forum strengthened the partnerships between F&S and campus.
Eleven areas were represented at the F&S Customer Forum poster sessions: Locksmiths; Card Access; Carpenters; Furniture Restorers; Mill Shop;
Paint/Sign Shop; Operations, Maintenance & Alterations; Service Office; Utilities & Energy Services (UES); Engineering & Construction Services;
and Safety and Compliance.
F&S Customer Updates
Primary Contact Required
Striving for additional ways to improve communications between F&S and
its campus customers, all service requests through the my.FS portal now
require a “primary contact” for each work order. After the craftsperson is
assigned a service request, he/she will follow up with the primary contact
regarding the work order.
The primary contact is not required to be the person completing the
request online; the requestor may assign that role to someone who will
be on site or otherwise manage the work on the customer’s side.
“We want to keep campus customers updated on the status of their work,
and the primary contact information will help us better accomplish that,”
said Assistant Superintendent of Building Maintenance Mark Barcus.
Service Rates
F&S service rates (billable hourly rate)
are determined annually and are
examined by the F&S Rate Review
Committee, a group chartered by the
Office of the Provost. Each shop at
F&S features different requirements
for work, staffing levels, and overhead.
Current service rates are available
on the F&S website at
https://www.fs.illinois.edu/services/
f-s-service-rates.
Insider, Summer 2019 • 5

Summer
Construction
Season
During the summer, the Urbana campus becomes
a center of construction activity as new facilities,
renovations, and repairs are vital to meeting the
university’s strategic goals.
Campus Instructional Facility
Will provide state-of-the-art instructional facilities, such as I-FLEX
classrooms and other collaborative learning environments
“There’s always going to be large-scale building projects,
street repairs, and utility work that has to be done,” said
Associate Director of Capital Programs, Project Management
Clarence Odom. “We just want to put the least
amount of disruption as possible on the students,
faculty, and staff.”
Substantial completion is expected by the start of the
fall semester for the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football
Center, Foellinger Auditorium (stairs reconstruction), and
Education Building (plaza wall repairs). Projects will also
include multiple restroom renovations, roof replacements,
elevator upgrades, and classroom and laboratory
modernizations.
Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building
Will touch up approximately 66,000 GSF and build a new
five-level, 30,000 GSF addition
“Our goal through these projects is to improve the students’
lives and their learning experiences,” said Odom. “Because
the ‘classroom’ is bigger than just the inside of four walls;
students are now learning everywhere they go, and we are
creating a living learning lab throughout campus.”
“Our goal through these
projects is to improve the
students’ lives and their
learning experiences.”
Clarence Odom, associate
director of Capital Programs,
project management
Siebel Center for Design at Illinois
Will convene people in this 60,000 GSF design center and immerse them in
meaningful challenges for which they design solutions
6 • University of Illinois Facilities & Services

Civil Engineering Hydrosystems Laboratory –
Renovation and Expansion
Will renovate and expand the laboratory and build a new “smart”
suspension pedestrian bridge that will connect the Hydrosystems
Laboratory addition to the Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory
Biggest of Its Kind
Dining hall to offer a multitude of options
Foellinger Auditorium – North Stairs Reconstruction
Will renovate the entire north stairway with new
foundations, granite risers, handrails, cheek walls,
doors, and light fixtures
There’s a new dining option coming to town, and it’s going to
offer pizza, sandwiches, international options, private dining
space, comfort food, 24/7 breakfast, coffee, tea, and all the specialdiet-specific
dining (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, etc.) to cater to
a wide audience. This is not a mega-fusion restaurant but rather
the result of the Illinois Street Residence Halls (ISR) dining hall
renovation and addition slated for completion in May 2020.
Anyone with an i-card will have access to the dining hall. You
can go cashless with funds placed on the i-card, use your debit
or credit card, or purchase a faculty/staff meal plan.
Families and visitors are welcome as long as they are
with someone with an i-card.
When the new ISR dining hall opens, it will be the
second largest dining facility (after the United States Air
Force Academy) and the largest on a university campus
in the country. The hall will seat up to 1,300 people at a
time and will feature nine mini-restaurants, each with
a unique theme and decor. Students will also be able to
access a “demo kitchen,” where they can learn how to
prepare dishes from professional chefs.
DIA – Soccer/Track Complex
Will include state-of-the-art amenities, such as locker rooms, video
and meeting rooms, lounge and study spaces, sports medicine
and nutrition facilities, and coaches’ offices
Insider, Summer 2019 • 7
Map data ©2019 Google

High School and College Students Learn at F&S
Two new programs brought students to work at F&S this summer. The high school–
based Pre-Apprenticeship Program and the college-based Student Diversity Internship
Program both strive to give interested individuals an opportunity to explore future
employment options in the crafts and trades and facilities management industry.
F&S Pre-Apprenticeship Program participants, foremen, and supervisors
Executive Director Mohamed Attalla believes in the future of F&S crafts and trades. “The earlier we
can connect with students and expose them to possible career paths, the more prepared students
will be when they graduate to either enter a registered apprentice program or pursue a relateddegree
field. Another benefit is that these students can also take their experiences back to their
schools and promote opportunities to others.”
PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
By reaching out to juniors and seniors at Champaign
Centennial and Central, Novak Academy, Urbana,
and Rantoul Township high schools as part of the
Pre-Apprenticeship Program, F&S can make contact
with students who may have an interest in the
crafts and trades.
“We want to connect with them in high school
because the earlier they can start thinking about
a future career the better,” said Eric Smith, director
of Human Resources, Diversity, and Strategy. “We
know they hear a lot about college, but they don’t
hear about the skilled trades as an alternative path.”
STUDENT DIVERSITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
University of Illinois undergraduate and graduate
students can take part in the Student Diversity
Internship Program, which gives underrepresented
minorities experience in areas such as architecture,
safety, information technology, or communications.
“The primary goals are to try to pique the students’
interest, get a diverse pool of students who are studying
in areas that are related to what we have here at
F&S, and try to provide those students with a hands-on
opportunity while they’re still in college,” said Smith.
“This program is also one of the many ways F&S can
collaborate with the academic side of the university.”
University of Illinois Student Diversity Internship Program participants and F&S directors
8 • University of Illinois Facilities & Services

Commencement means a beginning, one where the University
of Illinois welcomes newly minted degree holders as alumni
of one of the world’s best higher education institutions.
For the graduates, commencement also represents the
completion of hundreds of hours of work: difficult tests,
lengthy research papers, and endless nights at the library.
Commencement is also the culmination of long hours, high
pressure, and heightened expectations for another group on
campus: the staff of F&S. When thousands descend upon the
Urbana campus for Commencement Weekend, everything—
from grounds to facilities and from restrooms to stairways—
needs to shine.
Paul Jensen, Public Functions supervisor, and his staff help
execute the premier multiday event of the academic year.
As the name implies, Public Functions helps set up and put
on events across campus all year. They supply necessities like
American and State of Illinois flags, podiums, barricades,
plenty of plywood, tables, chairs, banners, and other signage.
“The staff of Public Functions works hard to make every
commencement event a success,” Jensen said. “They’re
a talented group of people, and they always deliver
great results.”
Superintendent of Grounds Ryan Welch, oversees the landscape
management of 930 acres
of outdoor space on campus, notably
including trees and shrubs,
flowers, and lawn areas like the
Main Quad.
F&S workers installed new
pavers in front of the Alice
Campbell Alumni Center.
“Commencement is one of the
campus’s biggest days of the year,
and the Grounds department
looks forward to preparing for
the event,” said Welch. “We strive
to make the university’s outdoor
Public Functions
workers set up
chairs in Huff Hall.
features look as beautiful as possible by planting flowers,
mulching beds, and keeping the lawns well-manicured.”
Building service workers clean the floors, walls, doors,
doorknobs, bathrooms, windows, and stairs, and they take
care of facility entrances and interior spaces.
Superintendent of Building Services Randy Kornegay said,
“We’ll do a walk-through of buildings in mid-April to make
sure things are as they should be, and then we will keep it
looking great.”
At various ceremonies, the electricians make sure all audio/
visual infrastructure is in place and operational for the
weekend. Much of the work takes place at Huff Hall, where
staff hang projectors from the ceiling and ensure the public
address system allows the audience to hear the proceedings.
F&S Executive Director Mohamed Attalla, who is in his first
year at the university, got to see the results of F&S’ hard work
firsthand when he participated in the faculty procession.
“It was great to march in academic regalia with colleagues and
to see all that F&S contributes to a successful year with these
great graduates,” said Attalla. “At F&S, Commencement Weekend
always means a team effort.”
Did You Know?
F&S plants more than 8,000 annual flowers before graduation, and approximately
the same number are planted in late May to avoid possible late frost damage.
Insider, Summer 2019 • 9

Academic Collaboration
Makes a Difference
How do you improve campus recycling efforts?
Get the students involved!
Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Jeff Roesler
has worked with F&S since 2013 on a project-based
learning class (CEE398PBL) that will be required for all
CEE students after fall 2020.
As part of the instruction, students address all types of
real-world challenges within the framework of the Urbana
campus. One recent collaboration resulted in producing
more visible recycling options at the university. Students
examined walking patterns, conducted surveys, and wrote
a report; eventually, they landed on a “dual bin” option that
gives pedestrians on campus the choice to put trash and
recycling in the appropriate bins—recycling or landfill. The
new bins are located in high traffic areas around campus.
“This course equips students to tackle, study, and propose
solutions to campus infrastructure challenges through
mentoring by faculty and F&S engineers,” said Roesler.
“The development and success of this course is tied
directly to the outstanding support and relationship
with F&S technical staff.”
Academic collaboration is an essential component to the
future of F&S and a major theme emphasized in the F&S
Strategic Plan. F&S can contribute industrial expertise to
research projects, provide data, make facilities available
as living laboratories, offer tours for classes and special
events, engage students in experiential learning opportunities,
provide grants for research projects, and endorse
research initiatives with federal granting agencies.
“This course equips students to tackle,
study, and propose solutions to campus
infrastructure challenges through mentoring
by faculty and F&S engineers.”
Jeff Roesler, CEE associate head and
director of Graduate Studies and Research
Dual bins make it easier to choose to recycle.
10 • University of Illinois Facilities & Services

The Importance of Protecting Boneyard Creek
Nearly 400 volunteers from the local community—including more than 30 from F&S—spent a sunny
Saturday morning in April cleaning areas in and around local urban stream corridors as part of the
Boneyard Creek Community Day. The total area cleaned measured more than six miles of shoreline
and nearly 470 acres, with 30 cubic yards of trash collected.
The event brings together everyone with a unified vision: sustaining the area’s urban waterways
through organized litter cleanup and the removal of invasive species, helping to restore natural
habitat, and showcasing the amenity value of a healthy ecosystem. Volunteers gathered at Scott Park
on campus to use buckets, gloves, and extendable claw grabbers to pick up plastic bags, paper, and
other rubbish all over campus. After cleaning up around Champaign-Urbana, volunteers enjoyed
educational displays, music, and food.
Boneyard Creek Community Day fulfills the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Stormwater
(MS4) Permit Best Management Practices (BMPs) for public engagement and public
education. The Stormwater Management Program meets the requirements of the university’s
permit with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and allows the university to
discharge stormwater into its receiving streams.
“We value local waterways and believe this event
helps engage the campus and the local community
in awareness and our responsibility to be good
stewards of our resources.”
Maureen Banks, director of Safety and Compliance
Boneyard Creek Community Day is a collaborative partnership involving the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Facilities & Services, City
of Champaign, Keep Champaign Beautiful, Champaign Park District, City of Urbana, Urbana Park District, Prairie Rivers Network, Village of Savoy,
Champaign County Soil & Water Conservation District, Champaign County Design & Conservation Foundation, Farnsworth Group, and Fehr Graham.
Insider, Summer 2019 • 11

1501 South Oak Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Shop Spotlight: Furniture Shop
Here to Make You Comfortable
The F&S furniture restorers specialize in giving old furniture
a fresh look. Their expertise includes both age-old
woodworking techniques and the newest equipment
technology, allowing the team to bring new life to pieces,
no matter the age or condition.
“We put a lot of time and energy into each piece, and what
we do as a craft is also considered an art form,” said Tracy
Collom, furniture restoration foreman.
Past projects have included many older pieces of furniture
from places like Busey, Evans, and Clark Halls. Additionally,
the furniture restorers have worked on items from the
music and sitting room on the main level of the President’s
House—many of which are more than 100 years old.
If a facility manager wants a budget-friendly option, the
shop recommends going to the university’s Surplus
F&S furniture
restorers give new
life to upholstered
pieces.
Warehouse to pick out pieces of used furniture; the team
can then clean, refurbish, or restore it.
“Not many furniture items made today surpass the
longevity of older furniture made decades ago,” said Collom.
“They were intentionally made to stand the test of time but
also to be repairable and restorable.”
For furniture restoration services,
contact the F&S Service Office
fsserviceoffice@illinois.edu, 333-0340
Lincoln Hall display case – before and after
Insider is published by Facilities & Services’ Customer Relations & Communications department.
Questions, ideas, or comments? Email fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu.