Pop Quiz with Pat Pancoast

For 25 years Pat Pancoast has applied her talents to the facilities services of the University. For the last ten of those years, Penn Engineering has been fortunate to have Pat at its helm as the Manager of Operational Services, keeping the School operating efficiently for students, faculty and staff.

What does “Operations” encompass?
The Operations office is the interface between the centralized University Facilities and the School of Engineering’s faculty, staff and students. We run the gamut from working with housekeeping, to working with faculty on utility needs in labs and classrooms, to arranging furniture moves, minor renovations and repairs, setting up for special events—we are pretty much involved in all aspects of the engineering complex.

How has recent construction at the School effected scheduling and operations?
As with Levine Hall, Skirkanich Hall construction impacts the School with noise and dust and the need for rerouting of traffic patterns throughout the engineering buildings. For example, because of the increased dust, the air intake filters need to be changed more often. And to control noise, sound blankets are covering the windows of one of our classrooms, 216 Moore. We are getting ready for the construction of the connecting hallways in the Moore and Towne buildings; that means cutting holes in both buildings at each floor level. Existing stairs and ramps will be removed and new ones constructed. This summer promises to be a noisy one inside the buildings!

What do you see as your biggest challenge in making sure operational needs are met?
I’d like to offer a clever answer, but as is often the case, the biggest challenge is money, prioritizing the needs of the School to best utilize the available monies. We always have more needs than we have money. The School pays into the University fund for long-term building maintenance for things like HVAC, new windows and roofs, but it is at the discretion of the University when and how these funds get allocated. I would love to be able to replace all the air handling units, bathroom fixtures, repaint and recarpet rooms, replace the Moore School roof, and on and on, but it just is not possible. It is always hard to find funds for our less glamorous needs. Do you ever receive calls in the middle of the night? Oh, yes. Calls at night and on weekends are not unusual. One of the last ones at 1:00 a.m. about six months ago involved a fire in the GRASP Lab. Batteries were left in a charger, overheated and started a fire. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the lab had just been renovated and the dedication was scheduled in one week. The lab had to be cleaned, repainted and carpet repaired prior to the dedication. The contractor pulled it off, but getting out the smoky smell was a challenge.

Can you share with us any humorous happenings on the job?
One year on April Fool’s Day, the students stole the Engineering banner that hangs over Smith Walk and hung it out of the dormitory window on Spruce Street. We had to retrieve it and have it re-hung. And, of course, I always enjoy the dead fish that is hung from the west entrance of the Towne Building every fall by one of the student organizations!