Housekeeping advisory committee aims to ease tension in department

The University remains in the planning stages of reform in the housekeeping department, three weeks after a consulting group released a report critical of a number of its practices.

Administrators said they have been working toward implementing programs to ease tension between housekeeping staff and management and to increase communication between the two groups.

Positions of membership in the employee advisory committee, which will link housekeeping staff and management, are open. Housekeeping staff members can nominate themselves for the committee.

Final membership will be decided by a vote of the housekeeping staff, said Brenda Malone, vice chancellor for human resources.

Dick Mann, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said the committee will include samples from each of the diverse groups in the housekeeping department.

Malone said she is excited about the opportunity to build a greater sense of teamwork and community among staff members.

The University has also released an application for a new director of housekeeping services to replace former director Bill Burston, who was the subject of controversy within the department.

Carolyn Elfland, associate vice chancellor for campus services, said the position is open to anyone within or outside of the housekeeping department.

Van Dobson, executive director of facilities services and chief facilities officer, will lead the search for the new director, Elfland said.

The consulting group’s report highlighted tensions between Burmese and black employees. Mann said the language barrier, not any racial issue, is to blame for conflict.

Mann said he is interested in beginning translation services for non-English-speaking employees.

“We have an obligation to make sure they have the tools they need to get the job done,” Mann said.

He said the University will offer free English lessons to employees in the department.

Malone said administrators are considering creating a program that would offer employees training for supervising positions.

He said that ideally, the program would start in Housekeeping Services and spread to other departments.

The University outlined an action plan for reform after PRM Consulting Group revealed the prevalence of discrimination and harassment, among other issues, in the housekeeping department.

The consulting group found that one-third of employees said they were dissatisfied with communication between housekeeping staff and management.

One-third of employees also said they did not believe housekeeping promoted an environment in which workers were free from harassment, discrimination and intimidation.

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