The Building Services team provides routine, intermittent and restorative cleaning for all academic, research, residence hall and athletic facilities on campus. On a daily basis they support the university’s mission to provide students, faculty and staff with top quality academic, research and employment experiences by maintaining more than 100 buildings throughout NIU’s 756-acre campus.
Throughout the summer, NIU Today will introduce a team member who works behind-the-scenes to make campus great.
Paul Frye
Paul Frye
Hometown: Champaign
Years working at NIU: 20
Areas covered on campus: Stevenson Towers North and Stevenson Towers South.
Paul Frye has been a valued part of the Building Services team for more than two decades. A native of Champaign, Frye appreciates the opportunity to work near his children and to have a position that allows him to support them.
Frye said a highlight of working in Building Services doesn’t have to do with buildings at all.
“I enjoy the opportunity that arises from time to time to meet one of our students and to have them enlighten me on a topic,” Frye said. “There was a Grad Student that tried to help me understand time dilation; wow, he tried. I miss him and hope he’s well.”
During the summer months, Frye said the residence halls are a quiet place without the hustle and bustle of Huskie students. And thanks to technology that has changed in the past 20 years, cleaning sounds different too.
“I remember 20 years ago when no one had ear buds, just some type of radio or maybe a boom box,” Frye said. “During summer cleaning, someone would turn their music on in a room and one of us would be next door with a radio. Next thing you know everyone would have their music on a maximum volume. It was hilarious.”
When Frye is not making NIU a better place for students and faculty, he enjoys spending time with his children and riding his motorcycle.
