Classroom Quality Standards
The University is committed to maintaining its classrooms in a state of readiness for teaching and learning. This includes both regular custodial services to the room itself, attention to the repair of the desks, chairs, lights, shades, and other classroom equipment, and ensuring that all special equipment such as overhead projectors, screens, and other audio-visual equipment are in proper working order. We are painfully aware that this has not always been the case in the past. This memo is to alert you to that we hope will be several improvements in this regard.
Classroom equipment
We have instituted a single phone number (491-5201) and e-mail address (facilities-management@northwestern.edu) to which the following sorts of problems should be promptly reported:
- broken desks/chairs
- broken or torn shades
- burned out lights
- problems with overhead projector (including bulbs)
- broken chalk (or dry marker) boards, etc.
Your concerns will be addressed as soon as possible given their urgency and scope (e.g., burned out overhead projector bulbs will be replaced immediately if a spare is not in the machine; broken chalk boards may take 4-12 weeks to replace due to inventory and shipping issues.)
A sticker listing this phone number and e-mail address has been placed in every classroom on campus.
Custodial services
Portions of the university "Standards" that pertain to the expectations of custodial services in the university's classrooms are set out below. Please note that certain functions are to be performed daily and others weekly. The supervisory staff for custodial services has been reminded of their role in this effort.
From Northwestern University Building Services Division User's Handbook:
The following levels of custodial services will be provided to all users within Northwestern University: Classrooms, libraries, laboratories, auditoriums, meeting rooms
Daily:
- Police
- Empty trash
- Dry clean chalkboards & damp wipe holders
- Straighten desks and/or chairs in classrooms & meeting rooms
- Spot mop or spot vacuum as needed
- Turn off lights
- Lock door or leave unlocked per instructions Weekly:
- Vacuum or wet mop completely
- Dust horizontal surfaces - high and low
- 10. Wipe down window sills, doors, and edges
- 11. Dry wipe chairs, desks, and tables
If you find that these standards are consistently not being met, please call 491-5201 and report the situation.
Chalk and dry markers
The custodians are expected to clean the chalk boards and replace chalk. In addition, central supplies of chalk will be maintained in department offices. Dry markers for rooms needing them will not be supplied by the custodial staff; faculty teaching in rooms in which these are needed should get them from their department office.
These steps will improve the teaching/learning environment at Northwestern. To be successful, they require your cooperation to report broken equipment and to monitor the state of cleanliness of the classroom. Please help.