Dalhousie University. Facilities Management

Corporate body (Dalhousie University)

Dalhousie University. Facilities Management

• Dalhousie University. Physical Plant and Planning (1988-1998)
• Dalhousie University. Physical Plant Services (ca. 1977-1988)

CAN-NSHD/1803-01

In the University calendars published from 1869 –1907, below the list of members of the Board of Governors, Senate and teaching faculty, are the names of the university librarian, the instructor in gymnastics, and the single janitor responsible for maintaining and cleaning the college building. By 1929, the position had been elevated to the Engineer in Charge of Building and Grounds, who was an Officer of Administration, alongside positions such as the university president, deans and registrar. In 1975 a vice president of University Services was responsible for overseeing the work of both the University Planner and the Director of the Physical Plant, and in 1988 the overall unit became known as Physical Plant and Planning, which was renamed Facilities Management in 1998.

Facilities Management operates from several locations on the Halifax and Truro campuses. Their primary office is located on the 4th floor of the Central Services Building on Studley Campus.

Facilities Management is responsible for the planning, development and project management of all Dalhousie University facilities construction and maintenance projects, for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of buildings, grounds and campus utilities and for the provision of security, parking, transport and mail services.

The basic statute relating to Dalhousie University is Chapter 24 of the Acts of 1863. This statute replaced earlier statutes, and the 1863 statute itself has been amended and supplemented several times over the years. The provisions of these various statutes provide for the establishment and regulation of the university, the membership of the Board of Governors and its rights and powers, the authority of senate for the internal regulation of the university (subject to the approval of the board), and various other matters.

Facilities Management is overseen by the Vice-President Facilities Management and Operations Manager, to whom the senior managers of six units report: Operations, Planning, Projects, Security Services, Administration and Finance. There are currently approximately 500 FM staff across the Halifax and Truro campuses.

Theakston, Harold Raymond (1895-1963)