CFaR Report: Custodian Impact on Student Success

This newly published CFaR report demonstrates how custodial operations are essential to many workplace issues—health, attendance, performance, and morale. In the higher education world, custodial services play a small but critical part in the story of student success that campuses should be aware of.

Regrettably, the custodian’s story is one that is often overlooked and undervalued. Custodians have a unique place not only on campus, but an essential position to assist student success. They work in every place and see every face on campus—in the classrooms and hallways of academic buildings as well as the living and lounging areas of the residence halls—where students are more vulnerable and possibly open to the need of influence. It is the custodian’s role that places them in a unique position to help students in need.

When speaking of students, there is the greater academic need in which the custodian has their main role. The reference of the custodian’s unique role isn’t toward assisting all students, or a particular cadre of students. This reference is regarding a student—as in singular. These singular instances can have an impact felt beyond the classroom.

Principal Investigator:
Steven D. Gilsdorf, CEFP, Wayne State University
[Read 2018 Facilities Manager article]