Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Nov. 5, 2004, edition 1 / Page 17
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Page 14 Greensboro. N.C. A greater appreciation tor campus cleaning staff Caitlin Adams Staff Writer Ms Bryan Hall students are enjoying another four hours of sleep before they press the snooze button on their alarm, Louise Kearse and Bessie Carter arrive at Guilford at 5 a.m. to sweep cigarette butts that students threw into the quad and pick up the cans that failed to make it into the trash. These women arrive at Guilford at 5 a.m., clean Bryan Hall, Hege Cox and the student apartments laundry room, leaving at 1 p.m. when their workday is through. Kearse has been a Guilford employee for almost two years and she was eager to share with me what students could do to make her job easier. "Students could flush the toilets and quit putting food and trash in the sanitary napkin deposits," said Kearse. She continues to question why students must throw their cigarette butts into the quad: "I have to clean-up something that (the students) are doing on purpose." Kearse does enjoy her job, but explained that "it is too much work for one person." Not only do Kearse and Carter clean up after all the Bryan residents who throw cigarettes off the balcony, but also they must pick up the trash, outside of suites, that often Cory Williams Staff Writer Because I no longer live on campus, I no longer have to deal with residential policy. This is the greatest feeling in the world. When you agree to live in a dorm, you agree to rent property from Guilford College. As it is the col lege's property, room searches are legal according to state and federal law. Every year, the school searches rooms over breaks on the pretenses of safety. Every year, the school invades the privacy of its students. When a room is searched, whether the resident is present or not, the people performing the search rifle through dressers, desks, refrigerators, and closets. Personal bags may or may not be searched, depending on why the search was called in. I understand that by signing the handbook, you agree to searches at any time. Just because it is written in the handbook does not make it right. Student privacy needs stronger protection. If a student has done nothing wrong, stay out of their stuff. Period. Residential Living Coordinator Kris Gray said that the majority of viola Room search results in stolen property tions resulting from searches are related to safety issues: extension cords, candles, etc. She said one knife was found that constituted a dangerous weapon. Students with candles or exten sion cords have no problem taking these items out of the room over break. However, students hesitate to take drugs or alcohol with them over break, especially if they have to fly. I suspect these are the real targets of searches. Invasions of privacy aside, the school seems to create a disaster out of at least one search every year. This year, Brennan James had his room searched over fall break. Campus Life confiscated a box of candles, a box of blank bullets, and a bottle of homeopathic herbs. Campus Life did not realize that the candles were property of the Pagan Mysticism club. They were in the room because the club at seen their storage space taken away. James, a theatre studies major, had the bullets because they were a prop in a production. The herbs were confiscat ed on the suspicion they FORUM attract raccoons and possums. Taking trash to the dumpster may constitute more work, but it improves the safety for those that clean many of your bath rooms. When Kearse walks into Hege Cox at early hours to find someone sleeping, she is never sure if that person is a student or someone who has wandered m OKii 7 GUILFORDIAN STOCK PHOTO Thanks to those who make our lives easier jewelry § L\ £ From. shawls scarves, we've got everything ' % j LjouiA/eeo( for Fall! 33Q Tate St were narcotics. They were not. Campus Life threw away all the confiscated materials. James has yet to receive reimbursement. That was this year. Two years ago, security searched my room during spring break. They did not find any safety violations. They also did not lock the door when they were fin ished. My laptop and my DVD collection were stolen. The school refused to admit liability. A member of Campus Life no longer at Guilford told me the thief must have snuck in through the window of my room on the second floor of Binford. I have yet to receive reimburse ment. Guilford can legally search any room on campus at any time. This in www.guilfordian.com off the street, who could pose a danger to her. "It could be anyone making a home," said Kearse. Perhaps more art students should make the effort to meet both Kearse and Carter, so that these women would not feel frightened while they are at work. As a former Bryan Hall resident, I did not fully appreciate the role that both Kearse and Carter played in my life last year. Upon my return from this past fall break, I noticed a brown scum that had grown around the edge of the inside of the toilet in my apartment. I then realized this was the first time my roommates and I did not have someone to clean our toilets for us. It was Kearse who had been taking responsibility for the mess my five roommates and I made when I stayed in Bryan on the third floor. As able 20-somethings, Guilford students absolutely have the ability to find a way to rinse our dishes and put them back where they belong. Even easier tasks include throwing cigarette butts in a trashcan or finding ashtrays to put outside of Bryan suites. At a college that strives for equality, we need to thank and be considerate of Kearse, Carter and all the Guilford employees-who work to maintain the pleasant atmosphere that everyone enjoys on Guilford campus. no way means they should. The security benefits of such searches are few and not worth the complica tions that arise from inept searches or the violations of students' privacy. The only way to fix this is to change school policy. Either Campus Life has to step forward and claim responsibility for their mistakes, or the Student Senate heeds to bring these issues to Campus Life. Every year, I hear stories like these, about students who found things disturbed or missing as the result of searches over break. The problem is not getting any better. Someone needs to step forward and change school policy for the good of the students, their privacy, and their personal possessions. Nov. 5, 2004
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Nov. 5, 2004, edition 1
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