diff --git a/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/utils/threads/VitroBackgroundThread.java b/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/utils/threads/VitroBackgroundThread.java
index 437b8d48d..477a10225 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/utils/threads/VitroBackgroundThread.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/utils/threads/VitroBackgroundThread.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
  * check their current status.
  */
 public class VitroBackgroundThread extends Thread {
-	Log log = LogFactory.getLog(VitroBackgroundThread.class);
+	private static final Log log = LogFactory.getLog(VitroBackgroundThread.class);
 
 	private static final ConcurrentLinkedQueue<WeakReference<VitroBackgroundThread>> allThreads = new ConcurrentLinkedQueue<WeakReference<VitroBackgroundThread>>();