EMU’s recent transition to Aramark as head of facilities management has led to an increase in difficulties throughout campus. The unusual amount of ‘out of order’ signs is not the only issue around. Since the change, a sense of frustration has grown as students have experienced various problems with air conditioning in dorms, composting efforts, trash build-up, and more.
“I’m not sure that it’s Aramark’s fault, but the transition to them has clearly not gone smoothly,” said senior Garrett Nyce.
Sophomore Elie Hoover, who previously worked under Facilities Management as a work-study and was directly involved in the composting process around campus expressed her disappointment since the change. “I wasn’t contacted to do compost again. I’m not sure if they just can’t do work study anymore because of this other company, but it doesn’t have to be through this new company,” she said. “I think it’s important that they still do it because this school makes such a big deal about sustainability but they are not really putting in the effort to keep on with sustainability.”
With Eastern Mennonite University being a university with values of sustainability and justice, Hoover continued to express her frustration, “It’s kind of annoying because this university is hypocritical in a lot of ways, to be so vocal about a lot of things like justice and sustainability, but they’re not making effort to really show that in a lot of ways,” she added. “It’s not that much effort to keep it going so why not?”
The issues around facilities extend beyond the lack of composting. Students living on campus have experienced challenges with the air conditioning not working properly, trash build up, broken appliances and having to deal with the problems on their own.
Hillside apartments reached temperatures of 90 plus in some rooms with others in the 80s. Nyce, a fourth year living in Hillside said. “Because of the lack of facilities support, it took days and some lobbying from our CA in order to find a resolution.”
Nyce also noted that the trash room has created unpleasant conditions. “The trash has also begun to pile up in our trash room, attracting flies and making the entrance to the building smell bad,” he said.
Hoover also has dealt with AC troubles of her own with a leaking unit. “We’ve had a leaky AC in my room for a couple of weeks now,” she said. “We have trash cans collecting water in front of our doorway.”
Senior Grant Leichty who lives in an on campus house also expressed his frustration about his dishwasher that hasn’t worked since they moved in despite their CA putting in a work order. “We have yet to hear anything about it or when they will even look at it,” he said.
In addition, he mentioned the increase in ‘out of order’ signs around campus and having to deal with multiple wasp nests around his house. “It’s already hard enough to pay to live on campus, adding the responsibility of these things has made it more challenging,” he added.
