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For the past four years, all Timothy Russell's (Timothy Russell'90) has to do when collating classroom information is to access it and cover the new COVID-19 guidelines.

Russell said, but counting every space on the William and Mary campuses, and then applying the physical evacuation rules to the new and converted teaching spaces, has already received cooperation from departments from all over the world. Start with the work he has done.

“One of the things I was hired to do was to move all the buildings on the campus and turn them into digital floor plans without buildings,” said Russell, Space Manager of the University of Facilities Management. "So four years later, I finally finished everything else."

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This is very valuable, because having a list of spaces and floor plans in digital format and a list in tabular format means that he can select the space group at the classification level by conference room, classroom category or department. He uses it to determine the maximum occupancy rate of each space on the campus to adapt to the actual distance requirements during the pandemic, as well as new spaces added for teaching and spaces too small to be used.

Russell worked hand in hand with University Registrar Sallie Marchello, who was responsible for coordinating registration from face-to-face, remote to mixed courses.

Marchero said: "Tim and his colleagues have identified the'COVID capacity' for large teaching spaces, our public classrooms and dozens of department-controlled rooms, with a total of nearly 250 spaces," said Marchero. "Then, the academic scheduler of the university registry and graduate school began the difficult task of transferring tasks. 

“Obviously, classes that move to full distance learning no longer require regular classroom space, but people who meet face-to-face or in a mixed manner must move to a larger room for proper social counseling. This work is still continuing and should end in the week Finished before."

Russell earlier met with Gregg Shipp, Director of Planning, Design and Construction, and Jim Sirinakis, Director of Operations and Maintenance, to decide on strategy. They chose to divide the existing classrooms into several categories, and then sent a small team to evaluate the rooms to see features that were not visible on the electronic blueprint.

"The first thing is to classify the information," Russell said. "Once we can do this, we will study many other schools and what they do. I approached many space managers at all the other Virginia schools with which I stayed in touch."

He got all the details from the W&M campus site visit and prioritized the needs. Russell overlays a grid that looks like a fishnet on the electronic floor plan, which allows him to simulate where people place the space so that people are six feet apart.

Since details such as the podium or accessory furniture are not part of the available blueprint, Russell then sends the printout to team members for access and evaluate any content that might need to increase capacity.

Russell said: "So it allows me to go on and get a rough idea of ​​what I think is the ability."

They also used tape on the floor and walls and 6-foot-long PVC pipes, while moving the desks around to check the capacity of the space.

Russell said that by moving the furniture further away or marking out unused seats, each space will expand in some way. The label will clearly indicate the areas and seats that can and cannot be used.

Currently, there are approximately 245 lists of existing and newly created teaching spaces. This includes many redesigned areas.

At the Sadler Center, the Commonwealth A, B, and C will be merged into one lecture hall, and the Commonwealth Auditorium will be used. Other spaces that may be used for teaching are the Campbell Theatre, the Whiteman Cup and People Room at the Kaplan Stadium, the Trinkle Hall at the center of the campus, and the McGrawslin Suite at Zabul Stadium. The Law School will hold some large-scale lectures at the McCormack-Nagelson Tennis Center.

The use of outdoor spaces (such as the Sunken Garden and Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheater) (with or without tent covers) is being considered for temporary class meetings and student group activities. Russell said that two graduate students at the Geospatial Analysis Center are mapping the available outdoor space for reference.

Russell said that special circumstances, such as art laboratories and studio spaces, will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis based on the number of students, needs and planned activities.

Technical space strategist John Drummond has always been a key figure in the field of information technology.

"All summer, I have been working with IT customer service, IT business office, teaching and learning innovation studio, provost's office, W&M procurement and W&M facilities to prepare low-density teaching spaces for mixed teaching, including some places for classes. . "Drummond said.

"This is a collaborative effort because complex procurement, space management, COVID mitigation, and technology selection and installation tasks are all done in parallel."

Drummond said that considerations include adding basic classroom technology to spaces that were not previously used for teaching, and ensuring that all areas used for teaching are electronically set up for in-person and blended learning.

Russell said that the current challenges have brought him into contact with many people he only knows on the periphery, and there is not much interaction with before to complete university tasks.

Russell said: "Being able to join the team is very happy for the team that provides security and speciality to the incoming and outgoing freshmen, so that they can get the most out of it." "Moreover. I think we will be able to provide the greatest safety environment for the upcoming students. Then, we will adapt and adapt to the development of the situation."

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