TABLED
Proposing Creation and Staffing of a University Building Commission Office
PROPOSED RESOLUTION OF THE EMPLOYEE FORUM
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
June 1, 2005
WHEREAS, the Mission of the Employee Forum is to address constructively the concerns of the Employees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and
WHEREAS, these concerns include efficient and prudent use of University funds and resources; and
WHEREAS, in recent practice, newly erected University buildings have contained flaws in quality such as the needed replacement of fume hood exhaust fans (Neurosciences Building), the malfunctioning of air compression and air quality units (Molecular Biology Research Building) and the replacement of fume hood exhaust brackets (Thurston Bowles); and
WHEREAS, University Facilities Services Employees have been forced to correct these flaws via significant expenditures in funds, time and labor to enable these buildings to carry out the purposes for which they were originally constructed; and
WHEREAS, these duplicate efforts, requiring in some cases periodic attention over a period of years, interrupt current operations and create a significant waste of University resources and
WHEREAS, the original contractors of these buildings should bear the responsibility for correcting these flaws within a reasonable time following completion of construction; and
WHEREAS, a University building commission office would significantly alleviate these problems by working with contractors to insure that building practices meet University standards and by forcing delinquent contractors to live up to these standards in practice or bear liability for time and labor lost correcting their mistakes
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Employee Forum of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill urges the Chancellor and his Administration to seek legal compensation from building contractors whose recent work required repair by University Employees; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Employee Forum recommends that the Chancellor and his Administration consider creation of a University building commission to insure that contractors meet the specific and expected quality requirements necessary for campus buildings.
To be signed on Behalf of the Delegates of the Employee Forum,
Chair, Tommy Griffin