Students will be able to go home and relax for three weeks, but for the Ball State University facilities staff, Winter Break does not change their duties.
Jim Lowe, director of engineering and operations said this year staff will have Dec. 24 and 25, and Jan. 1 off. Other than that, they will be working normal schedules, he said.
"We never shut down, we are 24/7 operating on campus every day of the week." he said.
Staff will be working their same hours, trying to do more cleaning than usual.
"Our Winter Break is a time to do maintenance work when students are not in the dorms and there are no classes," he said. "We have staff here as if we had a normal day."
Lowe said security in buildings is also important. Besides maintenance, the university will prepare buildings for changes in the weather, and be alert for any emergencies. He said staff will be called if there are any emergency preparations to be made to buildings, but they will try to avoid calling staff if it's during their days off.
"Even during the days staff won't come, we have someone carrying a cell phone, or someone paging," he said. "There's always someone here to listen for alarms."
Lowe said it is important to take action in preventing any damages to the buildings.
"We don't want any disruption, any damages that might cost the campus even more [money]," he said.
With students out for the break, maintenance will be heavier in residence halls. Cherryll Jennings, a Ball State custodian, said it is up to her to have her floor clean during Winter Break.
"I clean, strip floors, wax floors, clean the bathroom, move all the trash," she said. "On regular days it takes me one and a half hours to clean both bathrooms; on shut down, it takes us at least one day to day for each one."
Residence hall custodians will have a get-together to celebrate Christmas on Dec. 23. Besides that, Jennings said, she will have her regular hours and work by herself.
"I miss the girls when they are out during holidays," she said. "But we'll be ready for when [students] come."
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