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Campus maintenance request system goes online

The process of submitting and tracking maintenance requests on campus is about to get easier with the implementation of the new TMA computerized maintenance management system. Campus Operations has been using the system to more effectively manage preventive maintenance and repairs since early April; it will be available to the rest of the Bowling Green campus later this month.

The community will be notified through Campus Update when the online service becomes available. Users will find the request form on the left navigation bar in MyBGSU. The service will be open to all those with access to MyBGSU.

Building representatives recently got a “sneak preview” of the TMA iServiceDesk software, which enables faculty, staff and students to submit requests for repairs and maintenance of equipment and building spaces.

An important feature of the online process is that users will receive automatic email updates on the progress of their requests.

“Improving customer service was among the impetuses that prompted Campus Operations to upgrade the maintenance request computer system,” said Duane Hamilton, director of electrical and mechanical systems.

“In 2010, Campus Operations staff began researching a replacement system. One of the guiding principles was finding one that would be customer-friendly, transparent, Web-based, interactive and that would provide feedback in real time. We found all that with TMASystems LLC, an Oklahoma-based software company that has distinguished itself in the educational, government and health care markets,” he said.

In addition to providing better customer service, the system also benefits Campus Operations, he added.

“TMA allows Campus Operations to capture all the details of equipment and campus areas as they are maintained by our technicians,” Hamilton said. “It will significantly increase our knowledge base on cost and service levels throughout our campus facilities. It also offers expanded communication and service components.”

Watch Zoom News and Campus Update for more news on the system. Updates will be forthcoming as additional modules come online.

Call for experts on gambling

With the opening of Toledo’s new Hollywood Casino, the media are interested in exploring all aspects of gambling, from the social to the economic. If you have expertise on any related topic, please contact Marketing and Communications at jsobole@bgsu.edu so we can add you to our list of commentators.

Picture yourself in community art show

Calling all artists: University Art Galleries is hosting the fifth annual Northwest Ohio Community Art Exhibition, which aims to support regional artists of all levels of experience. Learn how to sign up In Brief.

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Building dashboard

BGSU students are champs at conservation

Thanks to BGSU students and others across the country who participated in the Campus Conservation National contest, a significant amount of water and electricity was saved this spring -- the equivalent of taking 151 U.S. homes off the electric grid for a year and of 10,365 shower hours or nearly 100 million 20-ounce bottles of water.

BGSU is the overall national winner of the contest to reduce energy use in residence halls, out of the more than 100 schools that participated. The University received a valuable energy-monitoring dashboard system for two buildings as the prize and has been featured by other schools and on national websites as a result of its win.

Not only did the BGSU residence halls compete against others in the U.S., but internally as well, according to Dr. Nicholas Hennessy, campus sustainability coordinator.

“There was super tough competition among the halls, and the staff really got into it and did many creative things to reduce energy such as organizing lights-out campaigns for lounges and other spaces when no one was using them,” Hennessy said.

Students could monitor their hall’s progress using the online building dashboard

The results of the month are impressive and demonstrate how much energy can be conserved when people are mindful of it. Of BGSU’s participating residence halls:

• Offenhauer placed first, with a 46.7 percent reduction
• Falcon Heights placed second, with a 30.6 percent reduction
• McDonald placed third, with a 22.3 percent reduction.

By other measures,

• 237,239 kilowatt hours of energy were saved
• 422,048 pounds of carbon dioxide were averted
• $21,351 was saved for the University

BGSU has a successfully participated in the contest for two years, and in 2010 was first in Ohio and sixth nationally.

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