This past week I attended the Rose Cafe about Facilities on West Campus. I found the conversation to be really productive, and was really surprised at the level of receptiveness that I was met with when I voiced my concerns. Having had some problems last year with the cleanliness of the bathroom in Founders Hall, I honestly didn’t expect to experience such a high level of care and dedication from the staff. It was a great opportunity to be able to speak about these issues and interact with the person in charge of building care on West because I think it’s often too easy to take those things for granted when they are done well, and complain bitterly when they are not. We don’t often have an opportunity, or take the time when we do, to thank the people who take care of our homes here on campus. One question that someone brought up during the talk was that of what we can do to make the lives of the building care staff easier. Such things as taking trash to trash rooms, removing personal items from bathrooms, and just generally being courteous about public spaces were all things that were mentioned. It’s not hard to do things like this, but it makes a big impact on the ability of these people to do their jobs.
I was really happy that I attended the talk, and even more pleasantly surprised when I found that a concern I had voiced during the discussion was resolved the next day. I think that really speaks to how receptive the staff is to our requests and needs. I will be sure to voice my concerns more often, as I have much more confidence in the system than I did previously.