While students are able to have three weeks off for winter break, some faculty stay on campus to work.
Randy Jones, custodian in LaFollette Complex, said the work they do during break is more detailed. Before break, he said he will probably clean the carpets, strip the tiles and detail the restrooms.
"It's my livelihood," Jones said. "The job needs to get done. It's what I've chosen to do for the time being."
All custodians who work in residence halls have to stay and work over Winter Break, but they do get two days off for Christmas and New Year's.
"I really miss the students being here," Jones said. "I enjoy the noise, helping people out if they need it. It does get kind of lonely."
Jim Lowe, director of engineering, construction and operations, said the entire staff – maintenance, professional and service – stays on campus during the three weeks students have off.
"Breaks like this provide our maintenance staff opportunities to perform certain work which we otherwise couldn't do while students, faculty and staff are on campus," Lowe said. "Although one would think about this as being a three week period when everyone's gone, that's not the case. We take advantage of it."
Ball State does not keep track of the exact amount of energy used, said Kevin Kenyon, associate vice president of the facilities planning and management. He guessed, though, that heat and light are the two biggest costs cut.
Lowe said he thinks these would be the highest costs cut because students are not in their dorms, using the showers and restrooms. They are also asked to unplug everything in their rooms.
Alan Hargrave, associate vice president for student affairs director of housing and residence life, said this precaution is not only to save energy, but for safety reasons as well. He added that there are no specific numbers on how much energy it saves, though, because it is difficult to track with changes in temperature.
Because there are people still on campus working during winter break, the snow would still be plowed if need be, Lowe said.
"There could even be various functions going on, a lot of public visitation that would still occur in various places like Worthen Arena," he said. "Regardless if the students are gone that need still exists."
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