DATE: Wednesday, November 12, 1997          TAG: 9711120477

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MATTHEW BOWERS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   63 lines

MCDEMMOND EASES NSU WORKERS' CONCERNS

Service workers at Norfolk State University were relieved Tuesday to learn that there wasn't going to be an imminent takeover of their departments - and possibly their jobs - by outside private companies.

And university officials learned that the workers who keep campus facilities clean and operating were more than ready to fight for those jobs.

Workers said they were shocked to learn in an article in Saturday's Virginian-Pilot that university officials were considering using outside companies to manage housekeeping, maintenance and printing services.

The article, however, mistakenly said that ``negotiations'' already were under way. No talks have begun with any companies to further the idea - which has been part of a college restructuring plan since 1994 - and such a move is one of several being considered to balance the university's budget over time, President Marie V. McDemmond said.

Before any such talks would begin, McDemmond said, she would talk with the affected workers, just as she did with campus computer services, which are being evaluated by an outside management company.

Workers thought the matter was already decided, and felt slighted and scared. Plans were made to visit McDemmond's office 100 or so strong Tuesday at noon, but were dropped in favor of a smaller contingent later meeting with her. Meanwhile, workers said, they want to be respected and want Norfolk State not to lose its ``family'' feeling.

Some 70 workers, in their gold housekeeping or green maintenance uniforms, gathered for about 20 minutes in the central compound of the maintenance building among forklifts, old batteries and other equipment. There were shouts of ``It's not fair!'' and applause for speakers.

``We're here morning, noon and night. After hours, who gets called in . . . ?'' Michael Chiles said on a portable microphone. Chiles is a sound-equipment technician and a recent NSU graduate.

An outside company wouldn't have the same special feeling for the university or freely put in extra time when asked, Chiles said. Already, an outside food service handles the campus cafeterias, dishing up food but perhaps not the same warmth, he said.

``That plate doesn't mean anything without love on it,'' Chiles said.

McDemmond later agreed that the campus is special, and said she doesn't want to change that. ``I think there is a family feel here,'' she said. ``I want to be part of this family.''

But some workers complained that university budget deficits - including $3.2 million in auxiliary accounts, such as housing and athletics, that developed before McDemmond arrived in July - were being balanced on their backs.

``We're not `janitorial,' '' said Denise Hodnett, a housekeeper for 12 years. ``We're not `maintenance.' We are people.''

After a late-afternoon meeting between McDemmond and six worker representatives, things had calmed.

But, the president added, ``I told them when we look at the deficits, we'll look at all options.''

The workers will be watching, too. ``We hopefully believe she's going to be genuine in what she says she's going to do,'' said Earl Floyd Sr., a storekeeper supervisor and six-year employee. ILLUSTRATION: BETH BERGMAN NAKAMURA/The Virginian-Pilot

Norfolk State University maintenance and housekeeping employees

gathered Tuesday to discuss concerns that the university might

privatize its services - sending their jobs to outside companies.

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