Imagine someone coming into your house to use your bathroom and leaving it trashed.
It may not be home, but Pierce College is a place where students and faculty spend a lot of their time.
Many students visit the bathrooms while on campus, but they have become disgusting.
Public restrooms are never pristine, but the ones at Pierce have reached a new low — especially those in the Village.
This is not a shot directed at the custodial staff. This is aimed at the students.
Several of the women’s bathrooms on campus have a steady stream of trash littering the floors and a recent increase in graffiti written on the doors and walls.
The men’s bathrooms are deplorable in comparison. From crumpled-up paper towels and muddy footprints on the floor to damp surfaces and smells that instill haste in the user, the men’s bathroom is the most difficult room a student can enter on campus.
According to Paul Nieman, director of plant facilities, which is responsible for campus maintenance, the Pierce custodial staff has not been impacted by the budget problems.
Several departments have seen cuts in their divisions and the custodial staff is no exception.
While Nieman said they have not been affected by the budget cuts, he has seen it in other ways. He spoke of staff members’ retirements and the inability to replace them as of yet. However, he was concerned the current situation would prohibit his hiring of more employees.
There are currently two shifts run by Pierce’s custodial staff: one which starts at 4:30 a.m. and another which ends at 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 p.m. on Friday. No custodial staff are present on campus during weekends, even though the field next to the Village is often inhabited by sports teams Pierce rents the area to.
Considering the popularity of night classes, where does this leave campus cleanliness after the sun goes down?
This squarely places the responsibility on the students, which is not a daunting task. It is well within the capabilities of all human beings.
It is unfortunate our student body lacks the common courtesy and sense to follow rules they were all taught from birth. Clean up after yourselves and have respect for other students and the school you attend.