Building community and legacy through operational excellence

Operational excellence is the first cornerstone of the Operations team’s responsibilities, and this year, we have demonstrated it through streamlined processes, proactive problem-solving, and a steadfast commitment to keeping campus operations seamless, safe, and responsive to the needs of our community. In 2023 and 2024, we made significant strides in proactive flood mitigation efforts, sustainability initiatives, and enhanced emergency preparedness. Our work reflects our deep commitment to continuous improvement, efficiency, and responsiveness—ensuring that SRWC remains a reliable, functional, and welcoming environment for the staff.

Comprehensive Asset Management

Over the last year, the team demonstrated its crucial role in driving organizational success by delivering comprehensive solutions through strategic planning, risk management, financial oversight, and regulatory compliance.

They also simultaneously fostered innovation and ensured robust strategic operations and infrastructure. The impact of this work extended across Stanford’s Redwood City campus, LBRE, and the University as a whole, ensuring operational excellence and supporting strategic initiatives.

The Facilities and Operations team focused on enhancing campus safety and emergency preparedness in 2023, 2024, while making strides towards Stanford’s sustainability goals. Key accomplishments include improvements to asset management, preventative maintenance, and emergency preparedness.

Building a Robust Inventory

To improve preventative maintenance and long-term planning, meticulously cataloged over 1,200 new assets into the enterprise asset management (eAM) database. This comprehensive inventory, developed with external consultants, provides detailed information about each asset and its maintenance requirements, enabling proactive maintenance and reducing system downtime.

Piloting New Software

SRWC piloted Gordian, a cutting-edge software tool, to gain a deeper understanding of the campus’s asset inventory. Gordian provides granular data and visualizations, allowing for increased transparency and informed decision-making in capital planning. This data-driven approach ensures effective long-term asset management and resource allocation.

Campus Safety

Through targeted training, communication campaigns, and infrastructure improvements, we’ve evolved existing standards to create a prepared and better-informed campus.

Awareness Campaigns

A series of outreach efforts were conducted to keep the campus informed of safety procedures and emergency updates. Key initiatives include:

• National Preparedness Month (September 2023): An educational and outreach program to increase emergency readiness across campus.

• ShakeOut (October 2023): A newsletter and Slack campaign reminding staff of the importance of immediate action during an earthquake (Drop, Cover, and Hold).

• Walktober (October 2024): Partnered with Stanford Transportation for a pedestrian safety campaign encouraging SRWC occupants to avoid “Twalking” (texting while walking) and installed in-road pedestrian signs on Barron Avenue and Warrington Avenue to improve safety.

Emergency Communication Systems

• Club Alerts: The team’s safety communications plan in 2023 includes the Alerts & Notices page on the SRWC website, which provides real-time updates in an emergency.
• Everbridge: Created situational communication templates and regularly monitored the contact list to ensure it remains current and effective during an emergency.
  

Resiliency

By integrating advanced technology with preventative infrastructure modifications, the campus is now better-equipped to withstand and mitigate the effects of extreme weather.

Department Operational Center (DOC) Organization

Ordered supplies such as radios, a portable electric generator and solar panel. Installed SU-DPS Base Station Radio and a new General Radio Service network to include local and SU-DPS radios. We also installed copper and VoIP communication systems and a whiteboard wall. 

Mitigating Severe Weather Impacts

In response to the December 2022 and January 2023 floods, SRWC Operations prioritized developing a comprehensive weather mitigation plan. This outlines clear procedures and protocols to minimize disruptions to campus occupants during extreme weather events, prioritizing the safety and continued operations of the university.

To further protect critical infrastructure, the ramp leading into the Barron parking garage was raised by six inches. This modification acts as a crucial water barrier, preventing water intrusion into the garage during heavy rain events, safeguarding vehicles and property.

Weather Station

To ensure we can always respond proactively to extreme weather, the team also installed a dedicated weather station on the campus. This provides real-time weather data, including rainfall intensity, wind speed, and barometric pressure, enabling more accurate and timely predictions of potential flooding. This enhanced monitoring capability allows for proactive decision-making and resource deployment, minimizing the impact of severe weather events on campus operations.

Strengthening Emergency Preparedness

Infrastructure Enhancement and Resilience

The team supported important infrastructure projects to enhance services, security, and resilience. These initiatives included:

• ADA button installations to improve accessibility to all-gender restrooms.
• Stair grit project on the central staircases of all buildings to enhance safety.
• Evacuation drills to ensure preparedness.
• Support for documented events (19) including water-related issues, outages, and fire incidents, demonstrating the team’s responsiveness and problem-solving capabilities.
• Security Enhancements were achieved through significant investments in security infrastructure, including improvements to ECH (Entry Control Hardware) and the installation of additional cameras and lighting to enhance campus safety and security.

These accomplishments demonstrate the team’s commitment to providing a functional, safe, and sustainable campus environment that supports Stanford’s mission of teaching and research.

Campus Vibrancy

Our strong campus partnerships enable us to host events and celebrations that bring the Stanford Redwood City community together—whether as individuals or as department teams.

A standout collaboration was the celebration of Stanford Redwood City’s five-year anniversary in the summer of 2024. We partnered with the Recreation and Wellness Center, Pause for Art, Stanford Staff Groups, and Residential & Dining Enterprises, we organized our largest event to date, welcoming over 700 attendees for a memorable celebration.

“I love how you are organizing events that improve the quality of our life by helping us with work life balance. Thank you!!”

Faculty, School of Medicine

Strengthening Community Engagement

In 2023 and 2024, Stanford Redwood City Operations fostered a welcoming and dynamic campus environment by collaborating with departments and organizations to host over 90 virtual and in-person events annually. Key community engagement initiatives included:

Engaging Virtual Activities

Hosted monthly virtual game shows to engage both onsite and remote employees, promoting connection and team spirit.

University-Wide Events

Partnered with the Office of Community Engagement and Stanford Transportation to provide transportation for SRWC employees to attend the annual We Are Stanford event at Frost Amphitheater.

Wellness and Health Initiatives

Collaborated with University Human Resources to host the annual BeWell Wellness Fair and organized biannual blood drives with the Stanford Blood Center to support health and wellness.

Community Support

Partnered with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office for the annual Shop with a Hero program and supported the Sheriff’s Activities League’s back-to-school drive, which collected over 250 donations for children in the county. Additionally, worked with the Office of Government Affairs to provide gifts and essential items for over 50 families at Taft Elementary School.

Festive Celebrations

Coordinated with the School of Medicine’s Research Management Group to host an annual Halloween event featuring lunch, costume contests, and a parade with Pine Cone Children’s Center.

Animal Welfare & Stress Relief

Teamed up with Pets in Need to bring adoptable puppies to campus, promoting animal welfare and stress relief.

Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives

Worked with the Diversity and Access Office to organize events such as an AAPI Heritage Month Lunch with the Asian Staff Forum, a staff-wide ice cream social, and events with the Black Staff Alliance for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

Culinary & Cultural Experiences

Partnered with Cardinal Café Catering and the Conference Center to organize campus-wide celebrations, cooking demonstrations, and cultural events, including Chinese New Year, Día de los Muertos, Diwali (in partnership with University IT), and Juneteenth.

“Food type events really encourage my team to come into the office these days which ends up being a fun activity for us to go to together.”  

Staff, UIT

Recreation and Wellness Center

The Recreation and Wellness Center provides a supportive and convenient environment for movement, play, and learning enriching the overall health and productivity of its members. From the rooftop pool, pickleball tournaments, and outdoor fitness garden the facility is essential to the staff, faculty, and health care employees working at the Redwood City campus and Stanford students, faculty, and alumni.

Cardinal Cafe Catering and Conference Center

Considered the heart of the Stanford Redwood City campus and managed by Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises, the Conference Center, Cardinal Cafe & Cardinal ToGo Mini Market, the dining pavilion and outdoor Stanford Square, provide space and opportunities for staff to gather over lunch, hold monthly staff meetings, host annual events,  celebrate their success, and foster a sense of community and collaboration.

Mail and Package Distribution

Stanford Redwood City has a dedicated center for receiving and distributing campus mail and packages.  The center has been instrumental in working with campus departments to receive oversized deliveries due to weight and/or size, implementation of smart parcel lockers for secure and convenient pick up, and supporting campus participation with San Mateo County’s annual neighborhood Back-to-School Drive and Toy and Book Drive. 

Enhancing Engagement

We also focused on improving audience engagement through strategic data collection, targeted marketing, creative content, and streamlined communication processes:

Feedback and Analytics

We actively collected feedback through marketing campaigns and post-event surveys to measure event reception and adjust messaging based on community needs. This has helped us identify trends in attendance and improve future programming.

Targeted Marketing

Events were marketed through multiple communication channels, including Slack, the monthly newsletter, and campus screens. Tracking engagement metrics such as sign-ups, reactions, and questions allowed us to refine our outreach strategies and increase event participation.

Creative Content

In Fall 2024, we secured a photographer on retainer to capture SRWC’s major campus events. Edited photos and videos are shared with the SRWC community to increase visibility and engagement.

Campus Video and Resource Hub

In 2024, we produced and released a Campus Video introducing Stanford Redwood City to new occupants and created a comprehensive list of resources on the SRWC website for easy access to key information.

Communication Refresh

Based on community feedback, we refreshed the monthly newsletter (increasing open rates by 15% on average) and developed standardized Slack templates, leading to increased engagement through replies, emojis, and questions. We also reformatted display slides and created a streamlined process for content submission from partner teams, expanding the number of partners we engage with regularly.

Sustainability stands as our third and a vital cornerstone, reflecting our team’s goals towards environmental stewardship and responsible campus management. In 2023 and 2024, the Operations team worked closely with the Office of Sustainability to drive impactful initiatives that reduce waste, promote reuse, and align with Stanford’s broader sustainability goals.

Key accomplishments included the pilot of Soap 2.0, implementation of the Biom refillable sanitizing wipe system, and the redesign of waste receptacles to align with our hauler’s waste stream standards—establishing a unified, easy-to-follow system across campus.

To deepen our understanding of waste processing and improve internal practices, the Operations team partnered with the Office of Sustainability and our custodial vendor to tour the Shoreway Environmental Center in San Carlos. Hosted by Recology, the visit offered valuable insight into how the campus’ recyclables are collected, sorted, and processed, as well as the evolving landscape of composting.

Beyond infrastructure, we have also led efforts to educate and engage the campus community through behavior-focused sustainability training. These efforts have reinforced our commitment to building a culture of environmental responsibility and continuous improvement.

Key Initiatives

• Eliminated plastic liners in restroom waste bins to cut down on unnecessary plastic use.
• Conducted waste sorting training for custodial staff and campus occupants.
• Replaced single-use Clorox wipes with the Biom refillable wipe system.
• Soap 2.0 pilot in Academy Hall, which uses refillable soap containers, reducing our carbon footprint and waste.
• Sponsored a Living Lab Fellowship project to test behavioral interventions aimed at improving waste sorting and reducing landfill waste.
• Participated in the university’s Zero Waste Committee to advise and implement reduction strategies campus-wide.

Surplus Program at SRWC

SRWC proudly hosts Stanford’s Surplus department, offering unused campus furniture a second life—either through internal redeployment or sale to staff. Surplus also oversees the proper recycling or disposal of furniture, ensuring responsible end-of-life handling.

Waste Station Standardization

Waste stations across SRWC were redesigned for clarity and consistency, with updated signage and streamlined sorting options based on our waste hauler’s specifications—making it easier than ever for occupants to dispose of waste properly.

Looking Ahead

Our progress reflects an ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. We’re proud to contribute to Stanford’s sustainability journey and look forward to further innovation in waste reduction and resource conservation in the year ahead.