New Vice President for Campus Operations details progress on infrastructure and maintenance projects

Lois Stanley arrived on campus Oct. 15  as Brandeis University’s new Vice President of Campus Operations. She will oversee Facilities Services, Public Safety, Capital Programs, Conferences and Events, Dining Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Sustainability and University Services – departments affecting all students, faculty and staff.

Stanley’s arrival corresponds with the many upgrades and improvements made to campus buildings, pathways, roads, communal areas and facilities during summer 2019. 

“I’m learning a good deal in my early days at Brandeis from the leaders in each of the campus operations areas, as well as from walks around campus and meals in the dining halls,” Stanley said. “The vast majority of the recently-completed projects, overseen by Vice President for Facilities Services Bob Avalle’s team, illustrates Brandeis’ commitment to long-term sustainability, accessibility and deferred maintenance projects.”

The following projects took place during summer 2019:

Campus roads, pathways and communal areas 

Starr Plaza underwent a significant redesign and now includes accessible entrances to both the Irving Presidential Enclave and the Gryzmish Center as well as new seating areas.
 
Fellows Garden has also been redesigned. Its pathways have been repaved, while new benches have been installed along the garden’s periphery.
 
The landscape around the statue of Louis Brandeis has been tailored to make the area an even greater focal point of campus. In addition to newly-planted grass and flowers, the steps leading up to the statue have been replaced.
 
The Hassenfeld Parking Lot and Rose Art Museum loading areas have been repaved.

Athletics

The Cordish Tennis Center, built with support from John Cordish ’90 and his wife Melissa ’90 and other Brandeis alumni and friends, opened on Oct. 5. The Cordish Tennis Center features a new scoreboard and six new tennis courts.
 
The Gosman Sports and Convocation Center roof has been replaced.

Shapiro Science Complex

Brandeis initiated a multi-year and multi-phase project to replace 12 air handling units in the Gerstenzang mechanical room. The units serve five Shapiro Science Complex buildings.
 
A project to replace the Foster Bio-Medical Research Center HVAC system is also nearing completion. Crews also installed a new generator and made accessibility and fire protection upgrades. The building’s roof has also been replaced.
 
The Kosow-Wolfson-Rosensweig Building’s HVAC system has also been fully recommissioned.
 
The Volen National Center for Complex Systems had most of its heating piping replaced. Full replacement will be completed in November 2019.

Brandeis International Business School

The Sachar International Center roof has been replaced.

Additional infrastructure and maintenance improvements

The campus heating plant received new exterior exhaust ducting.
 
Steam piping and electrical cabling has been replaced near Kutz Hall, Scheffres residence hall, and the Rabb Graduate Center.
 
Transformers have been replaced in the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center and the Foster Bio-Medical Research Center.
 
All HVAC controls have been upgraded in Gryzmish, Irving and Bernstein-Marcus.