What it's like

Thursday, March 13, 2008

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Landscapers beautify campus throughout the year.

Bob Abbott works at the University of Kansas all year, but he’s not a professor, administrator or any other member of the faculty. Abbott is a maintenance service supervisor, which means he works on landscaping our beloved campus.

Abbott leads a seven-person crew—one of four on campus. Abbott’s crew focuses mainly on trees, but recently took care of pulling the dead tops off of all the irises decorating the Hill. It’s one of several jobs that the 33 full-time and eight temporary staff members are responsible for handling. According to Mike Lang, director of Facilities Operations, crews are responsible for planting the 14,000 tulips used each year (along with a variety of other plants and flowers), providing upkeep for all of the plants and, most importantly, picking up trash. Lang says most crew members will spend some part of every shift on garbage duty.

While gathering trash is a year-round project, a lot of jobs the maintenance crew is responsible for vary depending on the season and can be especially intense during bad weather. Lang credits his staff’s quick response for the campus’s usually swift rebound after a storm and says that, during the microburst in spring 2006, his crew was there, ready to work, without him having to call and ask them to come in. It’s this dedication that makes KU one of the most beautiful campuses in the Midwest.

Stopping to smell the roses

Landscaping around campus requires careful planning, budgeting and man power.

/news/2009/jun/18/landscaping/

Facilities Operations keeps campus moving

Though rarely recognized, KU's maintenance crew are to thank for campus running ...

/news/2011/aug/29/facilities-operations-keeps-campus-moving/

Grounds crew proactive about winter weather

Unusually heavy snowfall keeps facility operations department busy clearing campus roads, sidewalks ...

/news/2010/feb/12/grounds-crew-proactive-about-winter-weather/

Policy prevents recycling tulips

/news/2005/apr/20/news_campus_tulips/

Green trucks, green thumbs

/news/2005/apr/21/jayplay_notice_landscaping/

“Bedazzler” removed from Spooner Hall lawn

After more than a year of display, temporary art has been removed ...

/news/2011/aug/21/bedazzler-removed/

Taking out the bloom

Every year in April, Facilities Operations has to uproot the tulips, an ...

/news/2011/apr/21/taking-out-bloom/

Bagworms eat away at campus trees and ...

A cool, wet summer has increased the worms’ population in Lawrence.

/news/2009/sep/22/news_bagworms/

Editorial: Campus well-maintained

The number of on-campus maintenance problems rises as available funds decrease.

/news/2007/mar/02/edalison/

Enjoying the fruits of campus foliage

Students and community members forage campus edibles.

/news/2011/nov/14/enjoying-fruits-campus-foliage/

Crews clean up storm debris

Heavy rains caused tree damage around campus.

/news/2011/jun/27/crews-clean-storm-debris/

‘Green space’ on campus is endangered

Marvin Grove, other natural icons at the University threatened because of weather, ...

/news/2009/nov/19/green-space-campus/

Campus Tree Advisory Board plants trees on ...

Students, faculty and staff come together to plant 10 trees on campus ...

/news/2012/mar/30/campus-tree-advisory-board/

Road work to continue, but not hinder

/news/2005/jun/08/repaving/

Facilities Operations working long hours to combat ...

Handicap ramps and stairs are the main safety concerns to clear before ...

/news/2011/feb/02/facilities-operations-working-long-hours-combat-sn/

False alarms are a pain for students ...

It costs $200 each time police and firefighters respond to a fire ...

/news/2012/apr/17/false-alarms/

A look into their lens

Only three people produce and record all of the University’s video.

/news/2012/jan/23/look-lens/

Employees work overtime to counteract snowfall

Multiple inches of snow and biting temperatures don’t stop activities in Lawrence, ...

/news/2011/jan/20/employees-counteract-snowfall/

Lawrence considers ideas for trash disposal

The city staff proposed plans to save on wages and workers’ compensation ...

/news/2010/dec/07/lawrence-considers-ideas-trash-disposal/

Field supervisor takes pride in work

George Barnes has worked as the University of Kansas’ official field supervisor ...

/news/2007/oct/31/littlepeople/

KU crew ready for new season

Boathouse and past success excite club rowing team.

/news/2009/aug/27/ku_crew/

Energy trackers monitor campus consumption

Facilities Operations staff supervises the University’s energy use to help the environment ...

/news/2010/apr/28/energy-trackers-monitor-campus-consumption/

Living Art

The tattoos Joe McGill inks on his customers are almost as interesting ...

/news/2007/mar/15/living_art/

Monumental Figures: The historic minds behind Campus ...

A historical look at student interactions with KU's public art.

/news/2010/dec/02/art-and-campus/

On stage or at the bus stop, ...

Tyron Smith and his dance crew, K.I.O.S., plan to participate in KU’s ...

/news/2011/apr/07/stage-or-bus-stop-dancer-shares-his-moves/

Campus beauty

From the Campanile memorial to the Chi Omega fountain, aesthetic beauty is ...

/news/2010/may/06/campus-beauty/

Bridging the Post-Grad Gap

Not sure where life is leading you after graduation? A gap year ...

/news/2012/may/02/bridging-gap/

Students and faculty get ready for Big ...

The day of service in Lawrence is scheduled to attract more than ...

/news/2012/mar/13/big-event/

Group tables against bill for new power ...

Gov. Sebelius is expected to make a final decision on two plants ...

/news/2007/sep/19/vision/

Field of Dreams: Students take care of ...

The crew hopes to win the Sports Turf Managers Association award for ...

/news/2008/apr/15/field_dreams_students/

Where your waste goes after it’s disposed

Follow the process your trash and recyclables go through after they’re tossed ...

/news/2009/mar/03/where_waste/

The hottest and the coolest jobs in ...

Summer weather is hot. Some gigs keep employees in an arctic blast ...

/news/2011/jul/12/hottest-and-coolest-jobs-lawrence-summer/

Rain garden by recreation center to prevent ...

Native flowers and grasses will allow the $40,000 garden to manage the ...

/news/2008/jun/13/rain_garden/

Chancellor talks budget cuts with Kansas Senate

Hemenway spoke to legislators about his concerns of the effects of Sebelius’ ...

/news/2009/feb/13/kansas_senate/

Lawrence's landlord: a developer's story

Doug Compton, owner of First Management, has helped guide Lawrence's development for ...

/news/2011/may/05/lawrences-landlord/

Eight things to do before you graduate

Ways to get the most out of your time at the University.

/news/2009/nov/12/eight-things-do-you-graduate/

Nine damaged roofs remain

Roofs on about 20 campus buildings have been repaired since last year's ...

/news/2007/apr/03/roofs/

Editorial: Don't bother handing out fliers

Fliers aren't an effective marketing ploy; Most students toss them on the ...

/news/2007/apr/26/sommerville_ed/

Winter weather presents new challenges

Heavy snows provides new and unexpected difficulties for both students and University ...