News

CWU Custodian Featured in Yakima Herald-Republic

Mon, 07 May 2018 10:56:10

Don and Jewel Sodergren of Selah have been married for 52 years, celebrating their anniversary on April 23 — and they’ve kept in touch with the minister of First Baptist Church in Renton. In those years, they’ve raised two sons and their two oldest granddaughters.

Both worked at Boeing, Don for 29 years and Jewel for more than 24. At age 75 he’s still working, as a custodian at Central Washington University, because he likes to keep moving and likes the college atmosphere.

Read more of this story in the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Motor Pool Reminders and Change

Thu, 03 May 2018 11:46:51

Reminders:

1. Vehicles cannot leave the Facilities Management parking lot until scheduled to do so. This is necessary due to property insurance considerations. Also, should you have the need to alter your schedule (early departure or late return) please provide a minimum of 4 hours' notice.

2. Vehicles are not authorized to be at a place of residence. They are for official use only. All passengers must have official business (CWU) needs.

3. Inspect your vehicle prior to and directly after use for damages.

Business change:

1. Due to the increased rate of accidents, Departments renting vehicles will be responsible for bearing the cost of insurance deductibles for all accidents. If the cost of damage is less than the deductible, the Departments will incur the repair costs.

CWU's Barto Hall Achieves a LEED Platinum Certification

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 15:12:37

Barto Hall, Central Washington University's newest residence hall, has received a coveted LEED Platinum certification—the highest level possible. The United States Council on Green Building (USCGB) awards the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications, and Washington has embraced this standard for state-funded buildings. Barto Hall is one of only four LEED Platinum-certified buildings on college campuses in Washington State.

LEED is a national certification system developed by the USGBC to encourage the construction of energy and resource-efficient buildings that are healthy to live in.

“The Platinum-certification is exciting news,” said James L. Gaudino, CWU president. “It reflects the effort of many people who worked hard to achieve this distinction. It also underscores our commitment to the environment and to our future students.”

“University Housing and New Student Programs, through this designation, continues our commitment to environmental sustainability," said Richard DeShields, dean of Student Success. "In developing Barto Hall, our students asked for continued care for the environment. And we wanted a more sustainable living environment for our students."

“We are so proud that our newest residence hall received Platinum,” said Joanne Hillemann, architect, LEED AP, and manager of Facilities Planning and Construction.
"But we couldn't have achieved this without Housing and New Student Programs' commitment to students' overall well-being, and to the environment."

In addition, said Hillemann, CWU worked with Studio Meng Strazzara, who were experts in LEED planning and construction, and have designed other notable CWU buildings, including the McIntyre Music Building and Wendell Hill Hall.

Barto Hall, which opened in 2012, has 368 beds in 116,000 square feet of space, more than double the original Barto, (which was demolished in 2010). The residence hall atmosphere is oriented towards first year students, and houses improved Residence Life Offices, as well as the Wellington Event Center. The $34.5 million structure was Central's first LEED-registered residential project, and the first to be certified Platinum.

There are many advanced green features incorporated into Barto's construction, such as solar energy from roof-mounted solar collectors, a high-performance building envelope and mechanical systems, water conserving plumbing fixtures, local and regional building materials., and state-of-the-art metering and monitoring systems that allow engineers to confirm that systems are performing at peak efficiency.

In addition, at least 75 percent of the construction waste material was recycled and reused, keeping it from a landfill. And more than 70 percent of the demolition waste from the old Barto Hall was diverted from the landfill by recycling, reusing, and salvaging the materials.

Other buildings on CWU's Ellensburg campus have also received LEED certification.

"CWU’s first LEED certified building was Dean Hall, originally targeted for LEED Silver, but, in fact, received a Gold certification in 2010," Hillemann noted. "Subsequently, Hogue Technology earned LEED Gold, and Science II is in the LEED submission phase—targeting Silver but with potential to achieve Gold."

“Barto Hall’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “LEED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize the built environment by providing everyone with a healthy, green and high performing buildings. Barto Hall serves as a prime example of how the work of innovative building projects can use local solutions to make a global impact on the environment.”

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, Department of Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu
August 29, 2017

Extraordinary Science II Obelisk to be Installed May 1

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 13:22:11

"Secondhand Geology," a sculpture made of blocks of crushed stainless steel, will be installed May 1 on the grounds of Central Washington University's new Science II building. It will be dedicated at a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 4.

The 20-foot, 5,000-pound column, which will be anchored to a four-foot concrete base, is the work of the Ball-Nogues studio in Los Angeles. An ArtsWA (www.arts.wa.gov) project, the artwork was funded through the Art in Public Places program which allocates a percentage of the building's construction costs for art to be installed on the site of a publicly funded structure. Benson Shaw's work, "Resources," at Dean Hall, is an ArtsWA project.

"The ArtsWA group have a roster of artists to be considered for public art projects," said Joanne Hillemann, architect, LEED AP, and manager, CWU Facilities Planning and Construction. "An ArtsWA manager met with the CWU Art Committee to initiate the process for commissioning the piece."

"The Art Selection Committee for Science Phase II had a challenging task of choosing an artist whose style would capture the essence of physics, geology, and science education [departments housed in Science II], but also succeed with the many constraints on location," said committee member Andy Piacsek, chair and professor of physics. "Because the interior of the building already had so many strong design elements, including permanent exhibits, the committee expected that the art would likely be outside. Ball and Nogues made a strong impression by explaining how the process by which a sculpture is created is just as important as the final form.

"They didn’t disappoint: the Science II sculpture is a simple pylon, but fabricated in a way that simulates and evokes the stratigraphy and metamorphic processes seen in the earth’s crust. I’m very pleased with it."

"Secondhand Geology" was created using powerful industrial processes to compact the stainless steel in to blocks which are stacked in a column.

"The crumpled steel is a manifestation of the massive forces required to compact it," Ball-Nogues related in its artist's statement. "It will remind viewers of the geological processes at work on rock formations near Ellensburg. The shape of the column will suggest a stone obelisk or a colossal geological core sample."

The sculpture will take about three days to be shipped from Los Angeles. Once the sculpture arrives, CWU will off-load it by forklift and place it on the ground adjacent to the concrete pedestal. A crane and a man-lift will be used to install the sculpture, and this will be coordinated by Ball-Nogues Studio and with CWU Facilities.

Sculptor Gaston Nogues will travel from Los Angeles to assemble the sculpture and attend its dedication.

The people involved in the Science II Art selection process included: Gregg Schlanger, chair, Art Department; Lola Gallagher, associate director of marketing and communication, Student Union; Joanne Hillemann; Doug Ryder, planning officer, Facilities Management; Andy Piacsek; Nick Zentner, professor, Geology Department; Tim Sorey, professor, Chemistry Department; Cindy Krieble, professor emeritus, Art Department; John Michel, professor, Music Department; Brian Kooser, CWU student representative; and Becky Barnhart and Robert Wiese from Integrus Architecture.

According to their website, Ball-Nogues Studio is an integrated design and fabrication practice operating in a territory between architecture, art and industrial design, led by Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues. Ball and Nogues originally trained as architects, and worked together for renowned architect Frank Gehry, before teaming up to establish Ball-Nogues Studio. "Their work is informed by the exploration of craft. Essential to each project is the "design" of the production process itself, with the aim of creating environments that enhance sensation, generate spectacle and invite physical engagement."

The Art in Public Places (AIPP) program facilitates the acquisition, placement, and stewardship of artwork in state-funded building projects throughout Washington. The Washington State Legislature established the AIPP program in 1974 to acquire artwork for K-12 public schools, colleges, universities, and state agencies, funded by ½ of 1 percent of the state’s portion of construction costs.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu
April 26, 2017

Summer Custodial Teams

Mon, 11 May 2015 14:08:16

This beautiful campus is in the hands of custodial staff. Students identify the grounds and buildings as one of the top reasons they choose Central. That makes our job one of the most important at the university. Our teamwork and dedication has truly made this campus a gem of the state and set high expectations for us all.

In order to continue this level of service, this summer FMD custodial employees will be working in teams to learn new buildings, new systems, and new skills. Approaching work in teams of three will help ensure we have the person-power and the know-how we need to be effective no matter what:
• no matter what building we’re in
• no matter how busy things get
• no matter if people need to take a sick day or even take a new job

Time to learn new systems
The slightly slower summer schedule gives us the opportunity to learn the secrets of each building on campus, from locating equipment storage to learning new security systems. Unbelievably, our buildings and their systems range in age from 1 to more than 100. If we have to fill in for someone, we might need to figure out how to get underneath the 1940s barracks that house International Studies, or know the digital code that unlocks a lab.

Backing up and filling in
Everyone has days when they’re sick and can’t come to work. From time to time, retirements and professional changes leave other positions unfilled. Regardless, there’s work to be done! Being familiar with buildings and systems other than our regular assignments means we have our co-worker’s back—and they have ours.

Help handling the crowds
CWU is a destination for students, conference, athletes, and many other groups. Ensuring top quality readiness—and a speedy recovery—will be easier if others can lend a hand when needed. Working and thinking as a team will help us help each other when the pressure is on. And understanding each others’ roles gives each of us a stake in upholding high standards of cleanliness, no matter what building we find ourselves in.

Time for deep cleaning and project work
Everyone has a to-do list of projects you just can’t fit into the regular work schedule. This summer our teams will attack some of the deep cleaning and project work we’ve not been able to get to during the school year.

Money in the bank means student help this fall
Students can provide tremendous support during the academic year when demand is greatest on residence halls and academic facilities. This summer our team plan will provide additional help where it is most needed, and we’ll save enough money over the summer to hire students to lend a hand this fall.