Nobody needs to be told that things on campus โ or anywhere, really โ look a little different now. In fact, everything looks a little different through the lens of the coronavirus pandemic. But, itโs clear that some things havenโt changed when you focus on the people on campus who are working so hard to keep our community safe.
Take, for example, Laura Lee Worrell. Sheโs the person behind the plexiglass barriers recently installed throughout CofC offices.
A building and equipment maintenance project manager in Facilities Management, Worrell typically concentrates on the Collegeโs residence hall repairs and classroom refreshes during the summer. But, as we know, this hasnโt been your typical summer, and this year Worrell was tasked with overseeing the procurement and installation of the plexiglass sneeze guards that are now at public-facing desks and counters across campus.
โItโs definitely a little different from what Iโm used to,โ she says, noting that her other projects this summer have involved dorm room refreshes, structural repairs to the Kelly House and adding a new fire alarm system and 23 new bedrooms to 10 and 20 Warren. โWeโve all been really busy with the usual work and then all the modifications to campus so that we can maintain safety protocols and social distancing. Itโs been a learning experience, for sure.โ
One thing Worrell hadnโt anticipated about the plexiglass shields was how different each one would need to be.
โJust because there are so many different applications around campus and so many different needs from department to department, only about 50 percent were standard sized,โ she says. โI knew there would be some special circumstances, but those special circumstances ended up being 50 percent!โ
Of course, Worrell isnโt the only one who has faced special circumstances that make things look โa little differentโ lately.
RELATED: Read about what other Facilities Management staff members are doing to keep campus safe.
โWe are all doing our part in creating a safe environment โ the sneeze guards are just one little piece of it,โ says Worrell. โAnd weโre relying on the community to do its part, too. Itโs got to be a whole community effort, obviously, to help keep everybody safe. We will all have to work together.โ
And that means wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing โ even in locations that have the plexiglass shields.
โThe sneeze guards are intended only as an additional safeguard, an added precaution for spaces that interact with the public โ places like the dining halls, Parking Services, the check-in/security desks at large residence halls, Disability Services, Financial Aid, Admissions, the library,โ she explains. โThe hope is to promote safety for those visiting the counters and those sitting behind them. We are trying to keep the sneeze guard panels directed toward the location with the most public interaction.
โMuch of this public interaction will consist of โtrainingโ visitors and requesting them to conduct business in front of the sneeze guard area for your and their protection,โ she continues. โWe canโt create a plexiglass bubble around everyone, so itโs going be those standing behind the desks who will have to retrain the people to stand in front of the plexiglass. Itโs just a cultural thing we have to get used to during these times.โ
After all, itโs just one of the many things that looks a little different right now.
