Andrew Henry Handles the Heavy Lifting So Students Can Feel At Home
By Rob Biertempfel
Andrew Henry has spent 13 years with Carnegie Mellon University’s Housing Services, working his way up from facilities coordinator to director of facilities. He’s been in the trenches — literally.
“I like to lead from the front line,” Henry said. “I’ve been in every role within facilities, so I can really relate to them all. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do.”
Last summer, when the custodial team was short-staffed during the rush to prepare for fall move-in day, Henry didn't just manage from his office. He grabbed a brush and spent days scrubbing toilets alongside his crew.
As director of facilities, Henry coordinates maintenance, emergency response and renovations for all campus housing. He is responsible for the roofs over the heads of roughly 4,000 students in more than 30 residential communities.
It’s a 24/7 job that requires the strategic mind of a general, the technical eye of an engineer and, occasionally, the steady hand of a parent who knows how to stop a toilet from overflowing at 3 a.m.
“Many parents are many miles away and want to be sure their student is safe,” Henry said. “Our goal is to provide a comfortable and secure living space that allows students to focus on why they’re here.”
Maintaining nearly 80 buildings, Henry and his team have no shortage of light bulbs to replace, drains to unclog and walls to paint. Occasionally, the repairs are more extensive. One incident escalated quickly when a student accidentally started a small kitchen fire while cooking.
“Instead of reaching for the fire extinguisher, the resident tried to put it out with an article of clothing,” Henry said. “That didn’t work. The sprinklers, thankfully, did work. They also caused water damage to five floors.”
In other cases, sprinkler systems have been triggered by students practicing golf swings indoors or using sprinkler heads as makeshift clotheslines. Henry doesn't see these mishaps merely as work orders; he views them as teachable moments.
“We’re here to care, but we’re also here to help students grow up,” Henry said. “Part of that is empowering them with life skills.”
Two years ago, Henry developed a series of building-specific facilities tip sheets that are now posted on residence hall webpages. The guides walk students through basic skills, such as locating a shutoff valve on a leaking pipe before it turns into a soggy disaster.
“It can help them later on when they get their first apartments,” he said. “I grew up differently than many of our students, and that prepared me for things they might not be ready for. This is our way of bridging that gap.”
Henry also navigates shifts in student needs, such as replacing coaxial cables with Wi-Fi and transforming traditional workout rooms into wellness and meditation spaces. Furniture design has evolved, too. A decade ago, desks had to be large enough to hold desktop computers, monitors, printers and speakers.
“Now, everyone uses laptops,” Henry said, “so in some of the buildings we have smaller desks that clip onto the beds.”
Housing Services is self-sustaining, largely funded through room and board fees, and planning decisions must balance flexibility with long-term sustainability.
“We have to be good stewards of the money,” Henry said.
This summer alone, about $5 million in repairs and improvements are planned. Every residence building will get at least a touch-up of paint, several hot water tanks will be replaced, and kitchen flooring will be upgraded. Henry’s team also will help Conference and Event Services prepare housing for camp and conference guests.
“Summer is our busiest time,” Henry said. “While most of the campus slows down, we’re operating like a high-speed Airbnb.”
When the last student moved out last May, Henry began a 100-day countdown to Aug. 15, when about 2,000 first-year students will arrive for move-in day.
“That’s our Super Bowl,” Henry said with a grin. “Everything’s happening all at once. And once we get past that, the everyday work orders start rolling in.”
For a small team with enormous responsibilities, the work can feel never-ending. Henry credits his staff — assistant director and facilities coordinator Mandy Rothmeyer; facilities coordinators David Nagy, Joe Rainey and David Scalzo; and senior administrative coordinator Amelia Baran — for keeping everything running smoothly.
“My philosophy is it takes more than just teamwork; it’s a partnership,” Henry said. “If you have LeBron James on your team, maybe everyone else can coast a little bit. In our partnership, everybody has to be LeBron because it’s always something, all the time.”