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Ford's Focus
It's time to start counting down the days until the students return and classes begin. The extra energy the students always bring to campus and town is a welcome addition. I have some sad news to report this week. Craig Rickards in Facilities Resources & Planning died last Monday at the age of 61. The funeral will be this Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Church of the Good Shepherd located at 1650 Clay Ave in Tyrone, Pa. Visitation is at 1 pm at the church, followed by the service at 2 pm. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. We will have a remembrance of Craig in our next issue. If you have any memories or photos you would like to share, please send them to newsviews@psu.edu.
In this edition of News & Views you will find links to watch the OPP Town Hall that took place on July 28 as well as a link to the latest progress report regarding service vehicle parking. Please take a look at both if you have not already.
Best,
Ford
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Thank you to all those who attended, watched live online or have since watched the archived video of the OPP Town Hall on July 28 with Provost Nick Jones and Senior Vice President David Gray. If you were unable to attend or have not yet watched the video of the event, it is available for viewing at your leisure. A recap of the town hall is also available from Penn State News.
We appreciate the many thoughtful questions you asked and hope to further address new issues that were brought to our attention, in addition to those raised at the Employee Meetings.
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Welcomes
 James Adams began a position as a custodial worker on Aug. 17. Hometown: Philipsburg, Pa.
Hobbies: Golfing, fishing
Darrell Bair began a position as a custodial worker on Aug. 2.
 Joshua Barndt accepted a position as a custodial worker. His first day was Aug. 17. Hobbies: GEFA Football
 Stuart Bickle accepted a custodial worker position in District 42. His first day was Aug. 17. Hometown: State College, Pa. Hobbies: Penn State football and basketball
Pete Caporuscio is returning to OPP after accepting a position as a facilities designer. His first day was Aug. 3.
 Luke Christine began working as an area facilities maintenance mechanics on Aug. 10.Hometown: Tyrone, Pa. Hobbies: Dirt bikes
Nate Corrigan accepted a position as a custodial worker. His first day was July 27.
 Brian Hayes began working as a facilities project manager with Design & Construction. His first day was Aug. 10.Hometown: Hollidaysburg, Pa. Hobbies: Sports, family time, reading
Mark Hendricks accepted a position as a custodial worker. His first day was Aug. 2. He transferred from Housing & Food Services.
 Cherie Kinley began a position as a maintenance utility worker on Aug. 16. Hobbies: Kayaking, family time
 Heath Lorson accepted a position as a plumber-fitter. His first day was Aug. 17.Hometown: Williamsport, Pa. Hobbies: Golfing, hunting
Andrew Lowery began work as a locksmith maintenance worker on Aug. 17. Hometown: Rebersburg, Pa. Hobbies: Hunting
 Marcus Marasco accepted a project manager job with Commonwealth Services. His first day was Aug. 3. Hometown: Altoona, Pa. Hobbies: Preparing for a new baby, hiking, biking, sports
Hometown: Warriors Mark, Pa. Hobbies: Farming
Hometown: Houtzdale, Pa. Hobbies: ATV riding
 Shad Seger accepted a position as a maintenance worker for asbestos removal and insulation. His first day was Aug. 10. Hometown: Grampian, Pa. Hobbies: Farming
 Valerie Shirokey began a position as a custodial worker on Aug. 17. Hometown: Munson, PA. Hobbies: Riding, spending time with grandchildren
 Jon Walker accepted a position as a design engineer with Design Services. His first day was July 27.Hometown: State College, Pa. Hobbies: Camping, woodworking, volunteering at church
**If your picture was not included, we would be glad to include it in a future edition. Please contact Susan Bedsworth to set up a time to have your photo taken.
Farewells
Jason Becker, systems administrator, left the University after 16 years. His last day was July 31.
Dave Coval, operating mechanic, is retiring after 27 years. His last day is Aug. 25.
Randy Gettig, maintenance worker parking facility, is retiring after 28 years. His last day is Aug. 21.
Denise Lyons, purchasing agent, is retiring after 31 years. Her last day was Aug. 7.
Beth Maule, facilities designer, retired on July 31 after 16 years.
Mark Miller, groundskeeper landscape, accepted a position with Intercollegiate Athletics. His last day was July 26.
Laurie Oncea, custodial worker, is retiring from Penn State after 27 years. Her last day is Aug. 31. |
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I want to thank all of you who have already participated in this year's Employee Meetings. The second of many feedback reports with responses and progress made on issues raised was recently shared via email.
While some of our challenges will take some time to address, the second progress report on service vehicle parking highlights some of the steps we have already taken and plan to take to resolve multiple issues raised in the employee meetings. Please take a few minutes to review the most recent report if you haven't already .
In addition to safety, service vehicle parking, and specific work-group issues, we're working on several other cross-OPP challenges:
- Maximo Issues
- Material Availability
- Planning and Estimating Delays
- Technical Service Vacancies
- Shop Space
Discussion of the next steps planned to address these ongoing issues will be shared via email, through News & Views, and on the Employee Meeting Progress page. The site will feature all status reports and an anonymous form to submit questions or suggestions.
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Quick Turnaround
Matt Wensel, Facilities Supervisor H&FS Maintenance Shop, wrote to OPP to commend John Bathurst and the 212 Crew. "We started a tear-out of lockers at Waring and encountered a small amount of asbestos in the men's locker room that turned into a fairly large amount. I had about a two-week window to accomplish this tear-out due to install time of the new lockers.
"John's team FAR exceeded my expectations and accomplished something I thought would take weeks, in a matter of days. I wanted to tell you about the top notch service I received from OPP and the asbestos removal team."
Hot Water Repairs
Matt Leah offered praise to four OPP employees for their work on a problem at the Palmer Museum of Art. "Palmer Museum is considered a critical building here at UP. The hot water pumps serving Palmer reside in Visual Arts. The current Visual Arts renovations plan on replacing these pumps, as well as some additional upgrades, but we are weeks away.
"On Tuesday, July 28, the remaining 20-year-old primary hot water pump finally died. To complicate the situation, the failed pump had the name plate removed years ago. Your folks pulled some magic, found a used pump, modified the shaft and we had hot water heading for Palmer within hours.
2015 Award for Historic Preservation and Restoration
 The Board of Governors of the Centre County Historical Society voted to recognize the restoration of the Land-Grant Frescoes in Old Main with the 2015 Award for Historic Preservation and Restoration. The Board of Governors wrote, "The dedication of two years, many experts and the financial resources that this extraordinary project required exemplifies the spirit of preservation that our organization promotes."
SuiteReq Training Georgia Gasperich, Facilities Resources and Planning, shared positive feedback from a new facility coordinator regarding SuiteReq training by Shauna Nevel. In addition, Georgia expressed thanks for the continued improvements and support put forth by Shauna, Joe Lonjin, and Ian Salada.
July External Teammate of the Month Award Nate Patrick was honored as the July recipient of the External Teammate of the Month award from Intercollegiate Athletics. Nate was recognized for his outstanding job keeping a lot of moving parts in order for the portal project in the BJC. Sandy Barbour, director of athletics, wrote, "Nate's organization of not only the men's and women's basketball, but ICA and BJC staff overall has been key in keeping the project organized and on time. We sincerely appreciate your dedication, professionalism and overall support and passion for Penn State Athletics." |
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Penn State uses digital building automation systems to boost sustainability
 Michael Prinkey, an energy program engineer in the Office of Physical Plant, has one overarching piece of advice for operating Penn State's sophisticated suite of building automation systems: Do not melt the ice cream at the Berkey Creamery.
It's good advice considering that from his desk in the Physical Plant Building, he can instantly adjust the temperatures, lights and ventilation in thousands of rooms on the University Park campus with just the click of a mouse.
How is this possible?
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Since the attic has run low on items, we've decided to transition this column to something new. The new column will be called "Tools of the Trade" and will share unique tools that employees in OPP use on the job. We'll still be accepting guesses, since those outside of a specific work area may or may not know what a specific tool is called or what it is used for.
The item in the July 22 issue of News & Views wa s a scope used by the Lock Shop. Congratulations to Joe Ficarro for his correct guess.
Item from the July 22 edition:
The next "Tools of the Trade" item is below. What do you think this is and/or what is it used to do? Email your guess to newsviews@psu.edu.
Happy Guessing!
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Each edition of News & Views will include an interesting Penn State factoid. Some will be about OPP, while others will be about different parts of the University. Know an
interesting tidbit? Send it to newsviews@psu.edu. As long as we can verify its authenticity, we will share it.
Garage Services
OPP's Garage Services has the ability to provide maintenance for all of the University's 2,200 vehicles and machines. Last year, Garage Services performed 2,775 preventative maintenance services to vehicles and equipment, which included oil changes.
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State College Free to Breathe 5k
 Lisa Berkey, director of Design & Construction, and Rachel Prinkey, project manager, have organized a team a team to participate in the State College Free to Breathe 5k in honor of Tim Heltman, a former OPP Design & Construction staff member and friend, who lost his battle with lung cancer four years ago.
The Free to Breathe 5k Run/Walk is set for Sept. 20, 2015 at Tudek Park. You can get involved in a variety of ways.
Join the team!Register online and join the Time Rides Again team. Once registered, you have access to tools to get the word out and gather support from your friends and family. On the day of the event you can choose to walk or run the 5k fun run, walk the 1-mile event or cheer on the participants. There is also a kids dash following the 5k.
Donate!
In you are unable to attend, but would like to support the Tim Rides Again team, please consider making a donation. The money funds research with the goal of doubling the lung cancer survival rate by 2022.
Spread the Word!
Please share this information with anyone who might be interested in joining the team in supporting lung cancer research and families fighting the disease.
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 In an effort to help us all stay healthy, we'll be sharing tips, stretches and workouts you can do at your desk or on your break. We would also love to hear from you! How do you get more movement into your day? Share by emailing newsviews@psu.edu, and, with permission, we'll share your submissions in an upcoming edition of News & Views. Ways to Add Movement to Your Day 1. Make physical activity part of your daily commute. State College recently earned a Top 10 ranking for cycle-friendly cities. If you live within a reasonable distance, consider riding to work once in awhile. If not, break out that bike for a ride with family or friends before or after work or on the weekends.
2. Walk! Have to run an errand downtown during lunch? If it's a nice day, walk it. Even if you take the shuttle, it still provides a chance to get some extra walking in your day since the stops aren't always right next to your destination.
Have a meeting in a different building? Give yourself a short break and walk to it rather than driving or taking the bus/shuttle. Taking breaks throughout the day has been shown to help increase productivity.
3. Take the stairs (if able). This is an easy way to get more movement in your day and burn calories. It can also save time if you find yourself constantly waiting for the elevator.
4. Park far from your building. We're lucky here in OPP that we have ample parking nearby. Consider parking further out in the commuter lot across Park Avenue rather than right outside the building or in the gravel lot.
5. Get up! Find yourself sitting during breaks, be it in a desk chair or in your vehicle? Get out and enjoy a bit of sunshine and campus on a nice day. Walk the Arboretum, take a loop around Beaver Stadium, or throw the football around with some coworkers.
Did you know Penn State's Social Media Office has a Fit & Healthy board on Pinterest? Check it out! There are some great ideas, yummy recipes, feature stories, and tips and tricks for a healthier you.
Disclaimer: Always talk with your doctor before starting a new fitness regimen. |
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Room 128A is within the large room that is occupied by the OPP Planners and Estimators. The best way to access their office is to enter the door to Rm. 128 off the loading dock area on the old Laundry Building side of OPP. If entering Rm. 128 from the hallway near the OPP ice machine, they are located in the far left corner of the room.
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 In each edition, we are including information and links to retirement information found both on the web and from Penn State's Office of Human Resources. Remember, regardless of your age it's always important to plan ahead for retirement.
Planning to Retire
In an effort to better serve our faculty and staff who may be thinking about or preparing for retirement, the Employee Benefits Division has a newly redesigned "Planning to Retire" webpage.
The page includes all information regarding what you need to know about retiring and the benefits available; the "Guide to Retirement" is a printable PDF of the entire section, for your convenience. You can follow the easy 1-2-3- steps of retirement; see if you meet the criteria to retire with medical benefits; determine which health plan you and your eligible dependents will be enrolled; learn how to convert optional Life Insurance and Accident Death & Dismemberment benefits to private policies, if you choose to do so; and learn what other University benefits are available to you.
With technology, the retirement process has been made much more efficient. Employees should contact our Employee Benefits Service Center at 814-865-1473 to speak with any one of our benefit experts, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email us at benefits@psu.edu.
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Dedicated to Diversity
What is your language? How does it sound? How is it different from the others around? How many friends can you make when you know a dozen different ways to say "Hello!" Come find out - and bring along a friend - to the Bilingual reading corner. Let the adventures begin!
- Where: Barnes & Noble, State College, Pa.
- When: Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Dates:
- Sept. 19: Russian Story time with Olesya V. Kisselev & Irina Mikaelian
- Oct. 17: Spanish & Italian story time with Carla Fernandex & Federica Bulgarelli
- Nov. 21: Welsh story time with Elizabeth Pyatt
- Dec. 19: French story time with Melinda Fricke
Everyone is welcome no matter what language you speak! This even is open and free to the public.
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The first OPP Family Night at the Spikes game took place on Saturday, Aug. 15. Those who attended were treated to a 7-5 win by the State College Spikes against the West Virginia Black Bears, as well as an appearance by the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo. The night also concluded with another spectacular fireworks display.
Have photos from Saturday's game? Share them with us and we'll post them on our Flickr page. Send your photos to newsviews@psu.edu.
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 Mark your calendar and start forming your team for the 2015 Col. Gerald Russell - PNC Bank Day of Caring on Oct. 1, 2015.
Watch for a "Register Your Team" email. Fill out the registration form and Beth will contact you with your project site, project scope, and details for the day.
Plan to attend the Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast at the Bryce Jordan Center before you head out to your project.
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 The Office of Physical Plant is now on Twitter! We're excited to connect with faculty, staff and students. We'll be sharing information about what OPP does, our various programs such as möbius, keeping people up to date about construction and other alerts on campus and looking to answer questions and address concerns from those on campus.
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Lamar CATA Vanpool
The Lamar to Unviersity Park CATA Vanpool is looking for new riders.
- Save money and ride a fun, friendly van.
- No wear or tear on your vehicle or too many miles.
- Just sit back, relax, and take a nap.
- Rates are based on the number of riders - approximately $60-70 per month depending on pickup location.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Locations: Lamar, Snydertown, Walker Township Building
Contact: Claudia (cgh12@psu.edu)
Centre Hall CATA Vanpool
The Centre Hall to University Park CATA Vanpool has openings for new riders.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Contact: Lisa Ward (lmw17@psu.edu)
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Have something to sell? Let us know! E-mail Susan Bedsworth with your item(s), details, contact information
 and photos. We will include it in the next edition of News & Views. And don't forget about OPP's Yammer Group "Up for Grabs." Just sign in with your University ID and password to post your item.
Lion Surplus
Lion Surplus handles the removal of University-owned equipment in environmentally responsible ways, such as sales, bids and auctions. Their store, located at the corner of Services Rd. and Big Hollow Rd., is open to students, faculty, staff and the public. The inventory changes daily, but the store routinely has gently used furniture, computers and other electronics, scientific equipment, and much more.
Follow Lion Surplus on Facebook to keep up to date on inventory and special events.
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Contact Us
If you have any comments or suggestions for News & Views, contact Susan Bedsworth by e-mail or at 863-9620.
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You can find a list of carpoolers and regional bus services through the 