Enhancing cleaning, maintenance and protective services

Funds have been reallocated to help us maintain a safe and healthy work and study environment.

  • 10 June 2024

The University of Alberta, along with many colleges and universities, manages and monitors our cleaning and maintenance programs by following a level of five standards set by APPA, formerly known as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators. In 2019, in response to an institution-wide imperative to reduce costs, the university realigned its cleaning standards from APPA level 3 to level 4 and its maintenance standards to an APPA level 5.

At the same time, our campuses have experienced the social and security trends affecting our larger community. Over the past few years, the U of A saw notable increases in security incidents on North Campus and around Enterprise Square, and particularly in locations that are connected to City of Edmonton transit stations.

Through feedback from students, instructors and staff, such as the engagement undertaken by the Student Experience Action Plan team, the Faculty & Staff Engagement Survey and the recent consultations on the People Strategy, we’ve heard that the reduction of cleaning services negatively impacts our people’s experience. While we’ve found our community feels safer on our campuses than other public spaces, there also remains a concern for physical, cultural and psychological safety, particularly while using public transit.

To meet the needs of our community, Facilities and Operations has been using one-time funding to address safety and security concerns as well as cleanliness on our campuses and the liability of deferred maintenance.

One such example is the pilot project to increase cleaning standards in learning spaces and common areas for the winter 2024 term. The results from the pilot and the continued need for one-time funding have demonstrated the value of enhancing the standard of cleaning and maintenance and continuing the current standard of protective services.

Beginning in the Spring 2024 term, funds will be reallocated to increase custodial standards to an APPA level 3 across the board, increase maintenance standards to an APPA level 4 and stabilize the budget for protective services.

Enhancing cleaning standards

All spaces on our campuses will be maintained to an average APPA level 3 standard. Here is the standard of cleaning you can expect:

  • Floors are swept or vacuumed clean, but close observation may reveal stains and dirt build-up may be apparent in corners and along walls. In addition, there may be dull spots, matted carpet, and streaks on base molding.
  • Vertical and horizontal surfaces have dust, dirt, marks, smudges and fingerprints.
  • Public trash containers are emptied daily.
  • Office trash containers are emptied monthly.

Classrooms, teaching labs and libraries will receive three cleanings a week, as will lounges, kitchens and lunch rooms. You’ll also notice an increased standard of cleaning in gymnasiums and recreational studios. There will be an increased frequency of checks at entrances and along main corridors to prevent dirt from penetrating into buildings and you may notice an increased presence of porters doing more frequent washroom checks.

Enhancing maintenance standards

APPA level 4 maintenance will enable our teams to triage a greater number of level 3 priorities as well as better manage our deferred maintenance backlog. Priority 3 includes issues such as:

  • Flickering fluorescent lamps in open areas and external lighting
  • Faulty toilet cisterns, broken toilet seats or toilets running constantly
  • Minor roof leaks
  • Non-essential air conditioning
  • Card access and intrusion user processing

Our aspirational response targets remain unchanged, however if you submit a maintenance request that is level 3 priority, it is more likely you’ll receive a response within 3 working days of notification and completion of the request within 10 working days, given availability of parts.

If you currently have a request that is a level 3 priority, please allow us time to work through our backlog of requests. While the increase in standards will allow us to address more level 3 priorities more quickly, there will continue to be a maintenance backlog of level 4 and 5 priorities.

Continuing enhanced protective services

Continued funding for protective services will allow the university to implement the key actions of the University of Alberta Safety and Security Committee’s 2023 Security Report. The report, which is guided by a holistic approach to security and public safety, outlines the following key actions:

  • Re-engaging university leaders and other key responsible offices to share and reinforce personal and public safety and security measures that everyone can take to reduce personal and community risks within their campus spaces and in their daily lives.
  • Developing campus security materials to support key partners and inform all community members of personal safety information.
  • Enhance staffing for outreach, which will increase protective services ability to respond to incidents and concerns.
  • Continuing to proactively make adjustments to infrastructure to ensure public safety and security such as installation of bike cages, upgrading card reader technology and ensuring appropriate facility hours of operation and points of entry.

Caring for our campuses and keeping our campuses safe

Although cleaning and maintenance standards will increase, please continue to do your part in caring for our campuses.

  • Keep shared spaces on campus tidy (common areas, lounges, study rooms, kitchenettes, etc.)
  • Proceed with care at building entrances (use of boot cleaners and entry mats to avoid tracking dirt/mud/snow into university buildings).
  • Avoid actions that could result in injury or damage (flooding sinks, flushing hygiene products, paper towels or inappropriate items down toilets, graffiti, etc.).
  • Empty workstation trash bins and sort waste and recycling using zero waste stations.
  • If you notice a cleaning or maintenance issue around campus, submit a maintenance request

There are also personal safety and security measures that students, faculty and staff can take on a daily basis.

  • Always be aware of your surroundings.
  • Don’t hold the door open to areas that are locked or require ONEcard access.
  • Lock your vehicle and don’t leave any belongings on display.
  • Make eye contact with others. Avoid staring or keeping your head down.
  • Learn how to quickly call 911 on your mobile device.
  • Do not approach dangerous situations and call 911 for any emergencies.

Together we can ensure the University of Alberta is a safe, welcoming space for the entire community.