As Kindness Day celebrated its 10th anniversary yesterday, we, the Editorial Board of The Brandeis Hoot, would like to highlight all the staff members on campus and emphasize our appreciation of everything they do to ensure that our campus is running smoothly year-round.
Staff members are those working on campus who are not considered faculty or professors, which include any facilities workers, the Department of Community Living, Sodexo workers, etc. These staff members are working around the clock to ensure that there is food in the dining halls, clean classrooms, bathrooms and hallways, and comfortable places for us to study. In short, they make Brandeis habitable. But oftentimes, these individuals are overlooked on campus. They are the reason there is always a friendly face at any dining hall cash register, in your quad every morning and in any office you visit with frantic questions or last-minute appointments.
These staff members deal with over 3,600 students on campus, so we urge the student body to be a little more conscientious and courteous of what they do for their fellow community members. While in the dining hall, take an extra second to wipe down your table after you’re finished eating. Remember to take any dirty plates and cups left behind on the tables. In any on-campus bathrooms, throw your paper towels into the trash can instead of leaving them on the floor nearby. In large communal kitchens, clean up after yourself instead of leaving it up to facilities to clean for you. The same applies for large-scale events; disposing of your own trash would save both event hosts and facilities a ton of time post-event. In short, no matter how stressed you are, try not to make work for others.
Along with all of these small things that you can do, just say hello. A brief greeting to acknowledge staff members and show that you appreciate what they do for us goes a long way. While these all may seem mundane or obvious, a little goes a long way—everyone can be kinder, especially to facilities staff, and help make the campus a friendlier place in the process. For four long years, this place is our workspace, and maybe even our home. Respecting it makes a large impact.
We as an editorial board are grateful that the Department of Community Living hosted a luncheon thanking facilities and custodian staff for the work they do in the residence halls on Kindness Day. However, we would like to see more acknowledgment for the work all staff—contracted and otherwise—put in to make our campus a better place.
