Reduced Building Services over Winter Break

Over MSU's extended winter break from Friday, Dec. 23 through Monday, Jan. 2, East Lansing campus buildings will have significantly reduced service levels compared to a normal work week.

Here are key changes and tips faculty and staff members should be aware of if you plan to be in campus buildings during the week-and-a-half break.

Heating and Ventilation Levels

Unless otherwise requested, classroom and office buildings will have reduced HVAC operation. 

Heating systems will not be turned off, but rooms may feel warmer or cooler than normal. Ventilation will not be in operation for offices and classrooms. Laboratory spaces and occupied residence halls will operate as normal.

If normal ventilation operation is needed, consult with your building contact and submit an IPF service request for a change no later than noon, Wednesday, Dec. 21. Requests made after that time may result in charges to the department. Please identify the building, rooms being used and a detailed schedule for each. Specify a time schedule for each date requested.

Energy Conservation 

Please do your part to reduce campus energy use before and during the break, and throughout the cold season by:

• Keeping windows closed. An open window may result in false room readings from the thermostat and may affect the ability of the heating system to operate correctly. If you feel the need to open a window, please close it before you leave the room or office. Ensuring windows are closed and locked also improves building security and minimizes water intrusion, such as from a heavy storm. 
• Covering window air conditioners to prevent cold air from coming. Your department is responsible for providing covers.
• Ensuring that all fume hood sashes are in the closed position when not in use.
• Turning off or unplugging lights and unneeded electrical equipment, such as monitors and printers that draw power even when not in use.
• Closing exterior doors. Please ask your staff, faculty, and students to keep exterior doors closed to minimize heat loss.

Locked Campus Buildings 

Campus buildings will be locked during the break. For any exceptions regarding your building being secured, please have your department’s authorized building access representative contact MSU Police and Public Safety at dpps.securitysvcs@police.msu.edu. 

Secure University Vehicles 

All university vehicles should be checked to ensure they are locked, and any valuable items should be removed until the university reopens. The lower campus population means fewer people are around to spot and report suspicious behavior. 

Urgent Building Maintenance Requests

Building maintenance crews will have reduced staffing during the break but will respond to any urgent service requests, such as water leaks; broken pipes, windows or doors; or similar items that should be addressed within 24 hours.

Call ContactIPF at (517) 353-1760 to place an urgent request instead of submitting it online. 

IPF staff will be visiting buildings throughout the break to ensure systems are operating normally, but anyone who spots a problem should report it immediately. Due to reduced building occupancy, small problems that normally would be identified and corrected quickly could become much larger, costlier issues.

Room Cleaning and Waste Removal

IPF Custodial Services will have minimal staff over the break, and most buildings will not be cleaned until the university reopens. Exceptions are the Clinical Center, the Police and Public Safety Building, Power and Water facilities, and the Veterinary Medical Clinic. 

Waste and recycling will be serviced at campus buildings on an on-call basis. Request service online.

Remove Perishable and Nonperishable Food Items

To avoid coming back to smelly, rotten food and drinks in office suites, please clean out office refrigerators, which then can be unplugged over the break to conserve energy. Also, nonperishable food, such as chocolates, candy, cookies and other items, should be thrown out, taken home, or placed in secure containers so they do not attract pests, which could become more active in the absence of a building's human population. 

Snow and Ice Removal 

IPF Landscape Services staff will respond to snow and ice events as it normally would. Read more about snow and ice removal efforts, and related information. 

Surplus Store and Recycling Center

The Surplus Store will be open for additional in-store shopping Dec. 16 and 21, and be closed over the break. The public recycling drop-off center will remain open.