Throughout the campus, Tyler Junior College does not have a severe trash issue or a dirty campus, but the hard work that is put into keeping school clean is not always recognized and could need some help.
Faculty, students and the cleaning crew around TJC spoke out about how to help keep campus clean. It’s the little things that add up, as simple as picking up something from the floor and throwing it in the trash or leaving the classrooms clean.
Employees of GCA, Grahm Crothall Associates had a lot to say about how students can help them out and help keep the buildings and residential halls clean.
Ed Macpherson has been part of the Math department at TJC for 15 years.
“All I can really say is the bathrooms,” said, Macpherson. “If kids would take better care of the bathrooms. For example in the men’s restroom it’s as simple as flushing the toilet, using paper towels and actually throwing them away in the trash can. It’s the small things, pick up trash around.”
“In the sitting areas in buildings, pick up what’s around you. When students have snacks instead of throwing them in the trash cans they leave them on the tables or all over the floor,” said Raschel Johnson working as house keeping for 6 years.
“There are lots of trashcans everywhere,” said Johnson
Out of all the buildings on campus students seem to spend a lot their time in the library.
We almost never see the library disorganized or dirty, but the workers do have a few tips to help out.
“Every once a week something crazy happens in the library,” said employee Rochelle Breen. “One time someone vomited in the sink.”
It’s understandable that accidents happen but try and keep clean. It’s just little things that can be avoided.
Another library employee and TJC student, Daniel Mckenzie explains that it is part of their job to keep the library clean. This includes going around picking up trash, organizing chairs, and fixing anything out of order.
“Common courtesy goes along way,” said Mckenzie.
Although it does help to push in your chair and throw away your Starbucks trash, “we get the little stuff, janitors get the worse,” said Mckenzie.
Other students had different ideas to help keep campus clean.
“Take initiative to put books back in the library or anything laying around, “said Luke Fauss sophomore mechanical engineer major at TJC.
Along with his friend, Jessica Fisher first year sociology major, they both agreed students can make better use of the trash cans.
“If we didn’t have janitors, imagine how bad it would be,” said Fauss.
Fisher’s concern was mainly about the girl’s bathrooms throughout campus.
“Put it in the trash can. Flush it. It’s simple,” said Fisher.
Other students suggested having recycling bins around school.
“We should have recycling bins, everyone drinks water,” said Stacy Arredando, “That would help out; it would involve less trash and more recycling.”
Ramiro Cardenas, who is working on his associates in biology, said if you see someone throw something on the ground, ask them to pick it up.
“If you don’t do it at home, don’t do it here,” said Cardenas.
Simone Henderson a second year nursing major thought it would be a good idea to put flyers on trash cans to help draw attention so students will make use of the trash cans.
“They should give out warning or citations for any violation of trash laying around just like they stop you for your lanyards,” Chris Medina, a freshmen studying biology said.
Students around campus recognize that we do have a clean campus. The main problem seems to be in the residential halls where students fail to keep the halls clean, adding more work for the cleaning crew.
Marivel Ramos, a sophomore studying dental hygiene and also a former resident in Bateman Hall explains, “People think that since they are not at home anymore they can trash the place.”
Confessing that students and residents of the hall would leave trash everywhere, along with a mess.
Our student athletes speak out about how they are willing to contribute to help around in the residential halls.
Speaking for Claridge Hall is TJC soccer player Ousmane Sangary.
“It would be helpful for students who live in the dorms to have one day out of the month to clean out their rooms, bathrooms. All trash in general, like a spring cleaning,” said Sangary.
It is no lie that the mens football dorms can get a little messy, and it is not only up to the cleaning crew to clean after them.
TJC football players Dadrian Franklin wide receiver, Savion Brown corner back, Michael Coleman safety and Mote Malle defensive tackle speak up about Sledge hall.
“Set up trash cans, almost in every corner,” said Franklin, “That’s what we really need, is more trash cans.”
The students athletes agree if more people threw away their own trash it would cause fewer problems.
The cleaning crew can only do so much. They are only responsible for cleaning certain hall ways of the residential halls, stair cases, and lobbies, not rooms or students doorway.
Mary Lane has been at TJC for five years and is in charge of cleaning the residential halls.
“Pick up after yourself. Students move furniture around and don’t move it back where it belongs, and that is not part of our job,” said Lane.
According to dumposaurus.com, trash seems to be a huge issue in all residential halls. In every hall there is a trash can in the main lobby and there is a dumpster near all the halls.
“Students need to learn to take out their personal trash to the dumpster not throw it neither in the lobby nor in the trash can in the laundry rooms,” said Maria Hernandez, a three year janitor.
Two of the members of the cleaning crew, Olga Martinez a one year house keeper and Reyna Medina a three year house keeper suggested that in the floor meetings hosted in every hall it should be encouraged for the students to know how important it is to throw away their own trash.
“It needs to be enforced in the meetings,” said Martinez.
They would also appreciate it if when students saw them cleaning the floors, for example moping and sweeping if students would move out of their way.
‘”It makes our job harder when people are all over the area where we are cleaning,” said Medina.
Bertha Duran works as house keeping in the cafeteria from 7 in the morning until 12:30 p.m. every day. She has been at TJC for five years and she explained it doesn’t take much to help make her job a lot easier.
“Try not to throw food or drinks on the floor or leave a mess of leftover food along with an excessive use of napkins on the table,” said Duran, “Be more careful.”
Victor Palacios is in charge of cleaning the showers and bathrooms in the OHP center.
“Students leave their personal belongings everywhere. Shampoo and conditioner containers everywhere along with trash,” said Palacios.
Most faculty, students, and members of the cleaning crew could agree that the bathrooms at TJC are the worse when it comes to trash and mess.
In every bathroom there are small trashcans and a big trash can.
All it takes is for everyone to throw away their own trash, not leave it lying around.
Dumpsters are located outside of every building. TJC has 12 dumpsters that get picked up daily except for Sundays. Out of all the dumpsters, 7 out of the 12 are completely full every day.
According to Leticia Galaz, assistant for the GCA, there are approximately 100 trash cans around TJC. These trash cans are emptied out 2 to 3 times a week except for the ones around Pirtle, Rogers Student Center, and the library. The trash cans that are mainly used are being emptied every day.
In the past month, TJC went through 40 cases of trash bags with 10-20 rolls in each case.
