By Leslie Weddell
Colorado College continues to operate smoothly, thanks in large part to the important, behind the scenes work that so many do. Here is a quick look at seven of CC’s “hidden caretakers.”
Justin Porter, Central Plant supervisor
Porter has been working at Colorado College for 19 months with a team of four plant operators — Edward Wojakowski, Doug Campbell, Jonathan Bernhard, and Steven Pattillo — who help maintain the infrastructure of the college. The team’s job includes monitoring and adjusting the heating and cooling for Colorado College buildings as well as the ice rink chiller for Honnen Ice Arena. “A large part of that is maintaining a strong and resilient Central Plant which ensures everyone is comfortable and important projects and artifacts are at the proper temperature,” he says. That includes monitoring the entire campus, from gallery temperatures in the Fine Arts Center to the rat lab in Barnes.
Porter and his team are working to conserve energy by finding spaces with no occupancy such as theatres, pools, gyms, etc., and putting the campus on a holiday setting (lower temperature set points). However, when the campus first went to distance working and learning in March, the weather was still cold, and they couldn’t lower the temperatures too much for fear of freezing water lines. Currently Porter and his team are conducting all cooling through a plate and frame heater exchanger run in reverse, that is, a swamp cooler, and thus not using any mechanical cooling in an effort to save money.
How is working on campus different now?
“The largest difference working on campus right now is the missing presence and energy of the students, faculty, and colleagues.”
Random fact: “Most people don’t realize that we’re staffed 365 days a year, 24/7.”
April Scriven, Mail Services supervisor
Scriven has been at CC for two years. Her job entails supervising and supporting the Mail Services staff, which includes Rick Hessek, Kelly (Steven) Wilcox and Sarah Mascotti, and partnering with other departments on campus with regard to mail, packages, and shipping.
“A typical day in Mail Services starts with one or two members picking up mail and packages from the downtown Post Office. We then sort the student mail into their Worner boxes. Right now, most of the student mail gets forwarded with the help of Banner. Faculty/staff mail is sorted by department. While this is happening, we also receive package deliveries from UPS, FedEx, DHL, OnTrac, and Amazon. All packages are routed to students or departments. Around noon, two members of Mail Services deliver mail and packages to departments on campus and we open the Mail Center counter. At the Mail Center, we release packages to students, sell stamps, and process shipments. We helped a lot of students mail their personal belongings home in the beginning of March. The students seem to really appreciate that the Mail Center staff offers a friendly face on campus. Initially, we were here five days a week, because we were still receiving so many packages and had so much mail to forward. Students were contacting us every day for assistance. Recently, we reduced our schedule to every other day and now we are on campus.”
How is working on campus different now?
“It feels so strange to walk into empty buildings and across an empty campus Working on campus now feels almost post-apocalyptic. I keep waiting for a zombie attack.”
Random fact: Last semester, Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, 2019, Campus Mail Services received 38,261 packages. This semester Jan. 1to April 30, 2020, they received about 17,578 packages. Scriven says mail numbers have stayed consistent but rather than sorting it into Worner boxes, they process it via computer to generate a forwarding label and resend it.
Frederick Gatling, Campus Safety officer
Gatling, who works the 2 to 10 p.m. swing shift, started working at CC in October 2018.
His job includes patrolling the campus and surrounding areas and properties, both on foot and by vehicle. “I keep the safety and security of every person on campus, visitors included, first and foremost and as my highest priority. I ensure building doors and windows are secured, especially ground level. I conduct medical transports and recreational transports for CC visiting staff and mostly students. I conduct preventive measures for safety by remaining highly alert and maintaining expectations and enforcing violations of posted campus and student standards. The most important aspect of my job is consistency, availability and approachability.”
How is working on campus different now?
“It’s peaceful. There is a law enforcement adage which doesn’t allow officers to say ‘quiet’ (the Q word!) That would be considered jinxing the remainder of the shift for all shift members. But it is peaceful, and time moves slowly. Swing shift is the usually the busiest shift because of traffic in and around campus. This normally lasts from 3 to 8 p.m. Students are walking, riding bikes, skateboarding, and zooming across campus. We would conduct transports in conjunction with conducting perimeter checks and service calls, which include contacting citizens who are knowingly/unknowingly trespassing campus, drivers who are stranded on and near campus and who may not be CC affiliated. We would normally assist with unlocking and locking buildings and classrooms for evening or weekend events, scheduled or unscheduled. First responders to traffic accidents on or near campus, medical emergencies and any other form of activities that may arise. So, with that as compared to now, it is very peaceful.”
What’s the most unusual thing you see at CC now?
“The most unusual thing I see is a lot of people walking dogs and exercising. Also, vehicle traffic is almost nonexistent after 7 p.m. And it is a bit unusual for students to try and sneak back on to campus after being dismissed, but it does happen. We caught unauthorized students climbing through a residence hall window during this ‘Stay at Home’ time. Finally, it is very unusual for the Fitness Center and gym to be completely empty.”
Random fact: Gatling regularly walks through Shove Chapel as part of his security rounds, and when he’s in there, he sings.
Marcos Patino, Sodexo custodian
Patino has worked at Colorado College for 40 years. “A lot of people don’t believe it, but it’s true,” he says. “I have been here 40 years. I am dedicated to my job. You guys are like my family. You have to like your job. Forty years later I am still here.” Throughout his time at CC Patino has worked all over campus, but mostly recently in Armstrong Hall and Spencer Center, where he is a familiar figure. His job entails vacuuming, dusting, emptying trash and recycle bins, and general custodial maintenance, among other duties.
How is working on campus different now?
“There are not as many people. I used to see a lot of people, sometimes parents, asking me directions, where is this, where is the President’s Office?”
Allison Pacheco, Campus Safety officer
Pacheco has been working at CC for two and a half years as a full-time employee, and three additional years as a student.In addition to her Campus Safety duties that include checking buildings, patrolling campus, and working with students, Pacheco also is in charge of the Safe Ride Program and student workers. She coordinates the Parking Office and coordinates scheduling for our office and staffing officers for events as well as event planning.
How is working on campus different now?
“It’s definitely strange! Being in a role that is very responsive to students, it is interesting to be doing all of our interactions from afar. My role has definitely changed, but it has just morphed into being responsive to students in different ways. We have a group of students on or near campus that we check in with. We also have been running a food pantry, so we have some interactions with students that we might not have during the year.”
What’s the most unusual thing you see at CC now?
“Facilitating the buying and delivery of food, medication, and clothing for students remaining on and near campus and making sure their needs are also being met.”
Random fact: She graduated in 2017 with a degree in education.
Eddie Siow, Bon Appetit, assistant general manager
Siow has been working at CC for almost a year. His job entails overseeing the day-to-day operations of all food service locations on campus, and he’s involved in financial planning, implementation of marketing and special events, safety and well-being, client relations, facility maintenance, and product procurement.
How is working on campus different now?
“Life was never a dull moment prior to COVID In January, we upgraded our food program at Rastall and elevated standards across campus. We were gearing up for a robust marketing campaign after spring break. Although the work pace has slowed a little, there is plenty to keep me busy. The slightly slower work pace allows me to connect with the students to learn how they are coping with the COVID crisis. Through the conversations, I am able to find out their needs and custom tailor our operations to better serve them.
What’s the most unusual thing you see at CC now?
Since many people are not able to get a haircut, I am seeing some interesting hair styles and some creative ways to keep their hair in check.
Random fact: “Before the shutdown, we served about 3,500 meals a day. Now we serve less than 100 meals.”
Jennifer Golightly, academic applications specialist
Come September, Golightly will have been working at CC for six years. She works to help lead and support the Digital Liberal Arts initiative at CC, and administers Canvas, which is the software where online classes are held. Her job entails the back-end management of Canvas, in addition to providing support for faculty using Canvas. This has been vital during the transition to distance learning as faculty have adapted their courses to an online format.
How is working on campus different now? I’m not working on campus right now but working from home for me has included working with more faculty and seeing the really cool things that they’re doing in their online classes, even under the immense pressure to get online for Block 7.
The most unusual thing you’ve encountered working at CC right now: “Between March 10 and the start of Block 7 on March 30, I hosted two to three workshops a week focusing on online pedagogy and Canvas functionality in addition to working with faculty individually, and by my rough count, I worked with close to 100 faculty in about 20 days.”
I think this moment at CC has highlighted for me how good we are as a campus at working together and supporting one another, particularly when there are challenges that we’re facing. That may not be unusual, but I think the degree to which it happens at CC is unique.
Random fact: Golightly has a Ph.D. in eighteenth-century British literature, has published a book and a chapter in an edited collection on the radical novels in Britain written during the 1790s, and researches and publishes in that field as often as she can.
