Letter: Students Need To Clean Up Act

By Nancy Craig

I am a smoker and I am appalled that students are putting their butts out on the ground–most of the time right next to ashtrays, or sometimes as close as a few steps away. In addition to picking up butts, I have also picked up empty beer and liquor bottles from Parking Lot 12, and in front of MacEwan Student Centre.

The reality is that we don’t have enough cleaning staff to walk around cleaning up after intelligent adults who should know better. All buildings contain professional faculty offices with a professional image to maintain. It looks bad if the grounds are disgusting when we are visited by those from outside of the university community. These visitors might be coming to offer scholarships, to provide jobs or donations. How well does it speak of a campus where people are so selfish that they defer their mess to someone else? I have had complaints from high-ranking people in the oil industry, vendors delivering equipment, and other faculty and staff. The bottom line is that the cleanliness of campus rests with every one of us.

I would hate to see Campus Security giving out tickets for littering, but maybe then people will take their duty to our university seriously. Yes–believe it or not–you have an obligation to the university and its grounds, and upon graduating and entering the workforce you will have an obligation to maintain that business’ image. Professional buildings need to project a professional image. Please do all you can to keep our grounds clean, and encourage other students to be more responsible and cleaner. Your future may depend upon your commitment, and our ability to smoke on campus lies with you. Please, be responsible.

Nancy Craig

services and events administrator, Office of Surgical Education