Print Edition: February 26, 2014
About a month ago or so UFV faculty was informed that our office garbage pails would no longer be emptied by the janitorial staff. We were informed that we should trundle down long, dark hallways to empty our own garbage into large collection bins located far away. After several weeks of garbage piling up in my office garbage pail, my beloved pail suddenly disappeared while I was off campus. I couldn’t imagine anyone being so cruel. Then I discovered that a number of my colleagues have also had their office garbage pails confiscated. Rather than some sort of nefarious garbage pail thief running loose on campus, we assume that the administration has had the pails removed. Rumor has it that UFV is under no obligation to be kind enough to supply faculty with an office garbage can.
This make life rather awkward since now I have free-range garbage piling up on my office floor (see the attached photo). I’m not only worried about the fire hazard this causes in the event of a lightning strike, I’m also concerned that the discarded soup drops and sandwich crumbs will attract rats and skunks into my office. Added to that is the concern that my junk mail may fall into terrorist hands.
I’m worried too that I may soon be asked to empty the garbage pail from the various classrooms where I teach, then from the Dean’s office, and then perhaps even from the UFV President’s office. I think it’s safe to assume that the janitorial staff is not to blame for this troubling situation. This is likely not a case of laziness on their part. I suspect it has something to do with cutbacks. I only hope that all our abducted garbage pails have been gently stacked in a warm and comfortable place.
I also hope that, since I’m being called upon to do janitorial duties, the janitorial staff is up to the task of taking over some of my academic duties.
Regards,
Peter B. Raabe Ph.D.
Philosophy
