Thanking & Supporting Custodial & Facilities Staff at SF State During the COVID-19 Crisis

Resolution Number: RS20-399
April, 2020
Whereas: 
RATIONALE: The San Francisco State Custodial Staff have been actively working to increase sanitation efforts on campus and have been on the front lines of SFSUs Covid-19 response. This resolution calls for enhanced cleaning standards to be maintained and that there are sufficient staff, equipment, and supplies to meet these goals.
Whereas: 
the Association for Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA) provides an industry specific1, clear and easy-to-quantify matrix2 of cleaning standards for higher education facilities, consisting of a sliding scale standard ranging from Level 1, ‘Orderly Spotlessness,’ to Level 5, ‘Unkempt Neglect’; and
Whereas: 
the APPA provides a similar matrix/ scale for quantifying and evaluating maintenance of higher education facilities; and
Whereas: 
the connection between the lack of proper hygiene, effective sanitation, or proper cleaning techniques, and the spread of infectious agents of all kinds, is unambiguous; and
Whereas: 
improper maintenance of the physical plant results in over-burdened or non- functioning facilities, which can create, or inhibit the remediation of, hazardous conditions which might contribute to the spread of infectious agents, in addition to adversely impacting the ‘quality of life’ on campus; therefore be it
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate, and the Campus Community, express deep gratitude to FES generally, and the Custodial staff in particular, for their extensive and continued efforts to address the unique hygiene & sanitation challenges of the Covid-19 crisis; and be it further
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate supports Custodial staffing levels be adequate to maintain campus cleanliness meeting or exceeding standards identified as Level 1 or 2, with an emphasis on cleaning to mitigate the opportunity for the spread of communicable diseases; and be it further
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate supports Custodial staff be provided with appropriate supplies and equipment to meet or exceed these standards, and with training on how to use the supplies and equipment; and be it further
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate supports the staffing of the skilled Trades at levels adequate to effectively maintain the physical plant at all SFSU campuses; and be it further
Resolved: 
that Facilities report efforts made to meet & uphold these standards to the Academic Senate annually; and be it further
Resolved: 
that this resolution be sent to the President, Vice Presidents, and Associate Vice President of Facilities Services at San Francisco State University, the Academic Senate Chairs, the CSU Academic Senate, and the Chancellor’s Office.