Physical Plant
Services
Page Content
It is the basic objective of the Physical Plant to provide a safe, secure and enriching environment, in an effective and efficient manner, consistent with the university vision, mission and values.
With a little more than 180 staff members, the Physical Plant Department supports 4.5 million square feet on the 315-acre site, which includes 42 academic & administrative buildings, 60 student and community support buildings, 13 athletic department and 17 Physical Plant facilities on the Hattiesburg campus. Areas of service include:
Responsible for the structural maintenance and repair of university buildings, the Building Trades Division is dedicated to providing timely, quality service necessary to operate all Southern Miss education and research facilities.
Services performed by the Building Trades Division include:
- Carpenters – repair and maintenance of doors, windows, desks, chairs, floor & ceiling tiles, plastering & sheetrock
- Painters – painting and finishing
- Sheet Metal/Roofing - repair of roofs and roof drains
- Locksmith - repairs and maintains all locks and keys, and office door signage
The largest division of the Physical Plant Department, Custodial Services is responsible for the overall cleanliness of all university academic facilities. Classrooms, offices, hallways, entrances, stairs, restrooms and public areas are all cleaned daily, while windows, light fixtures, venetian blinds etc., are scheduled to be cleaned periodically.
Restrooms and student areas in academic buildings are cleaned the first part of the workday, from 5am – 9am; while offices, hallways and other public spaces are cleaned the latter part of the day, 10am – 1pm.
Environmental Services Division provides the following services:
- Moving furniture and equipment
- New equipment delivery
- Moving offices
- Emptying dumpsters
- Special event set up
- Day to day garbage collection from all departments and trash containers
- Transportation of supplies to and from the Gulf Park campus.
Services provided by the Safety Division include:
- Building Inspections
- Testing and inspection of fire suppression and alarm systems
- Inspection of fire extinguishers
- Providing safety classes: CPR, fire safety, worker safety and defensive driving
- Verifying compliance with ADA accessibility regulations
- Providing ADA escorts during special events (graduation and games)
- Reviewing all building plans for state and federal building regulation code compliance
- Serves as the university liaison with the state fire marshal and the City of Hattiesburg
The Grounds Division is responsible for all lawn care, landscaping and grounds maintenance necessary to provide a beautiful, safe and enjoyable environment for all who attend, work at or visit the Southern Miss campus.
The Grounds Division also provides the following services:
- Lawn and plant maintenance (mowing, trimming, weeding, pruning, etc.)
- Pruning for visibility and lighting issues
- Maintenance & cleaning of walks, streets and parking areas
- Litter control
- Maintenance of athletic fields
- Maintenance of the rose garden
- Planting and maintenance of ornamental gardens
- Rotation of color spots/flower beds
HVAC and Plumbing Services Division is responsible for maintenance and repairs of all university plumbing and HVAC systems.
The HVAC technicians are responsible for maintenance and repairs of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment in all university academic facilities. Their services include, but are not limited to thermostats, air conditioners, heaters, steam leaks and hot water heaters.
The plumbers are responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of all university plumbing systems, from leaking faucets and clogged drains and toilets, to broken pipes and sewer lines.
The primary role of the Transportation Services Division, commonly referred to as Motor Pool, is to repair and routinely maintain hundreds of fleet automobiles and golf carts operated by the various university entities. Transportation Services is also responsible for maintaining heavy equipment, parking lot repairs, new sidewalk construction and excavation, drainage, storm drain repairs, building of ADA compliant concrete sidewalk ramps.
A fuel dispatching station is also operated and maintained by the Transportation Services Division. The primary purpose is to provide, as a departmental service, fuel and lubricants for the university's motor vehicle fleet. Gas is distributed Monday through Friday at the motor pool pumps, from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.