In July 2016, Drake’s Facilities Planning and Management (FPM) transitioned to new management staff. Since then, FPM has been assessing all aspects of the campus in regards to our services and costs.

Currently Drake has approximately 700 proprietary paper towel dispensers around campus that require four D batteries each, which require annual replacement. Over the next couple years, Drake will be changing paper towel dispensers to a universal model, which is still a touch-free dispenser but will not require any batteries. These dispensers work by mechanically cutting and advancing a 10” sheet of paper when pulled by the user.

This change allows Drake to obtain pricing from multiple vendors, saving the University nearly 50 percent on the cost of paper, as well as the cost of batteries. On a sustainability standpoint, FPM will save the use and disposal of thousands of batteries a year and be able to choose a paper product based on quality and recycle content.

Over the winter break, FPM assisted a student-lead initiative LEAD Capstone project with installation of hand dryers in Crawford Residence Hall, removing the paper towel dispensers. This allowed Drake to become a more economically and environmentally sustainable campus. FPM is using this directive to continue with hand dryers in other first year residence halls and in Collier-Scripps Hall and Science Connector Building, both opening this summer/fall. Our intention is to continue installing hand dryers in high-traffic restrooms all over campus in the coming years.

—Mitch Wieczorek, Custodial Manager