The Consolidation Chess Game
Coming Together in Challenging Times
It was not an easy feat, but HDAE staff, with the help of Mammoth Moving & Storage, Inc., moved hundreds of residents to consolidate them to fewer buildings. The decision to do so was in case the State needed residence halls for COVID-relief efforts, and more importantly, with so many students choosing to go home, it made it safer for students who did stay in University Housing. Staff honored social distancing and gave all students their own bedrooms and also considered requests for roommate accommodations to keep community and camaraderie going during these difficult times.
“The consolidation process went smoothly overall and it really was a result of the work of many different people,” said Billy Jankowski, Associate Director of Residential & Community Living. “One complication was that some of our students’ plans were changing rapidly because of the COVID situation and some simply hadn’t communicated with us.”
Lead Staff – complex coordinators, resident directors, and assistant resident directors – made hundreds of calls to students directly over the course of a few days to find out what their plans were. Many students had left all of their belongings and flown back home, which was complex because of the uncertainty of traveling. Meanwhile, University & Community Housing Services (UCHS) staff – all working remotely – received hundreds of calls and emails from parents and students who were trying to understand their options and next steps. Mammoth Services went above and beyond by face-timing with students who had already moved back home, making sure it was their belongings and not their roommates’ belongings being packed and stored until they could safely return and retrieve them.
Overall, about 400 students were moved to Santa Catalina North and South Towers, while more than 200 undergraduate third and fourth-year students were moved and shuffled around the apartments, to again concentrate efforts.
“Major kudos to Residential Operations custodial staff who prepared all the residence hall rooms and apartments for consolidation, and Mammoth for providing awesome moving services,” said Terrie Tran, Assistant Director of Residential & Community Living. “And to Residential Dining for providing delicious meals at their pick-up meal service, and Miramar Food Pantry for extending their hours of service to serve numerous residents and families, and our director Jill Hurd who has been providing stellar leadership during these challenging times.”
Dining kept staff and students safe by offering take-out meals instead of the normal dining-in option, and this will continue through the end of the Spring quarter.
“The consolidation was an excellent example of UCHS and Student Life coming together in a difficult situation to do amazing things, quickly, for our residents,” said Tom Spiva, Manager of Systems and Operations of UCHS. “From the Analysts pulling together reports and entering and sending out [new] assignments; to the Student Life team reaching out to students to make sure their needs are met; to the Housing Services Reps on the phones answering tough questions from parents and students in an ever-changing environment; this was a whole team effort that left our residents safer and our facilities ready for the next stage, whatever that may be."
