Webtwo0_Communications & Information Services

The purpose of the Communications and Information Services (CIS) unit is to provide support to Facilities Services employees (and to the campus) in the areas of Communications, Information Technology, and Training. By effectively and efficiently supplying these services, CIS is able to support the primary mission of Facilities Services: to provide, maintain, and optimize the campus’ physical resources and environments for all staff, faculty & students – which, ultimately, supports and promotes the University of Tennessee’s VolVision, its long range Masterplan, and its goal of becoming a top research institution.

The CIS unit facilitates customer transparency; handles departmental awareness and promotion; maintains positive, mutually beneficial relationships with all of our associates and team members through open and effective two-way communication; provides timely and structured learning experiences, operational training, and career development programs to all departmental employees; and, provides information technology products and services, PC/network support, and innovation in a timely manner to empower both our departmental employees and the campus community as a whole; while, also being a stalwart steward of campus funds, continually finding ways to avoid extraneous costs and trimming wasteful expenses. This unit encompasses three primary offices: Communications & PR, IT Support & Maintenance, and Employee Training & Development.

Communications & Public Relations (CPR) is tasked with promoting employee morale, managing Facilities Services social media sites, creating and promoting departmental videos, planning department events, acting as the Public Information Office for campus and in the Facilities Services Emergency Task Force, managing the branding of all Facilities Services units and offices, maintaining the campus-wide Building Representative list, updating content on the campus Cone Zone site and departmental website, promoting the department through campus-events; and, when appropriate, fielding customer questions and concerns.

Information Technology (IT) handles day-to-day operations of technology within the department. IT provides Tech Support for around 160 users located at the new Facilities Services Complex along with 18 workstation computers in the training lab, 18 networked printer/copier/scanners, and support for all individual shop technology needs. Support is provided for satellite Zone Maintenance, Utilities and Building Services offices scattered all across campus. In addition, IT provides maintenance of the Facilities Services Website, along with video streaming of campus webcams, listservs, email, office applications, tablets, phones, and radios. IT also manages SCUP improvements and device identification and registration for all network attached equipment installed in Facilities Services. The department currently has over 1,100 devices on the network, including computers, printers, mobile devices, building automation services and life safety systems (fire alarm, building access, etc.). IT also acts as a liaison between Facilities Services and OIT when projects or maintenance issues affect network infrastructure, server support, or campus provided IT services.

The Training & Employee Development (TED) office provides Facilities Services employees with flexible opportunities for personal and professional growth through education, training, and workplace experience. TED also serves as a one-stop for many employees seeking answers for everyday work questions, situations or needs. Primary office activities include, but not limited to: orienting new employees for the shop or area in which they will work; promoting, facilitating, keeping records, and reporting on OSHA-required safety training; providing assistance to employees wishing to use the department’s computer lab for work-related reasons; managing the Respiratory Protection Program; collaborating to create job aids (print, digital, video) that relate to training programs; and, creating and maintaining employee identification badges. TED’s main focus is collaborating with Facility Services units to determine their specific training needs and then arranging, scheduling, promoting, and facilitating the training.