Some students are concerned about the declining state of campus restrooms, in terms of cleanliness and sanitary materials.
Jenna Dava, a Studio Arts major, noticed that not all restrooms received the same level of care and attention.
“I’ve run into not having enough soap. Sometimes there aren’t napkins. This is just in some bathrooms. I’ve noticed there’s a very big difference in certain buildings in which bathrooms are stocked,” said Dava.
Naya Santos, a second semester Philosophy major, while finding the bathrooms relatively clean, recalls a terrifying experience in one particular LAC restroom at the E building.
“The sewage drain that’s in the middle of the restroom…it just puddled up with black water, it’s like it goes through the stall,” said Santo.
Rain Johnson Young, a Theater Arts and Stereo Arts major, shared that he didn’t really pay attention to the condition of the men’s room, yet was irritated that some automatic flushing sensors were too sensitive, stating, “It’s like no matter what I do, I could be as still as possible and it still flushes.”
The District’s custodial lead revealed that deliberate vandalism of the restroom facilities, more specifically intentional clogs, has become so commonplace that custodial staff are often overrun.
Pedro Garcia, Custodial Supervisor I, heads a team of 8 custodial staff on three 8-hour shifts for both LAC and PCC. With a combined count of over 200 restrooms to maintain, it is hard to keep up with demand and try to address general cleanliness.
“We also clean kitchen facilities on-campus in addition to campus restrooms,” said Garcia, “but we get calls to put out fires like deliberate clogs, stemming from tampons to toilet seat covers.”
When asked about the black water coming up from the drain, Garcia acknowledged that it is likely due to an accumulation of sanitary items clogging drainage.
When asked about the automatic flushers, Garcia shared why they were tuned to be sensitive for good reason. In past instances, they found the sensors were blocked with tape, and the toilet accumulates waste from multiple uses without flushing, which leads to a clog.
The unsanitary water overflows to the floor surface, shutting down an entire restroom for hours as custodial staff work to unclog and sanitize the entirety of the room.
While the custodians accepted deliberate clogs as an everyday norm, it’s the more troublesome severe clogs that can shut down an entire restroom or building.
The District only has two full-time plumbers, who are called to solve the most troublesome issues that custodians can’t.
“When we see vandalism, we do report it…they might not get done right away, depending on the egregiousness or extremely offensive that disrupts the campus,” said Dr. Maria Williams-Slaughter, Deputy Director Facilities Management.
In response to cleanliness levels, Dr. Slaughter stated that the District holds Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) standards, 1 being the highest, while 5 being the lowest.
While District personnel try to maintain overall restrooms at a 3.5 rating, Dr. Slaughter and Garcia shared that with the deliberate clogs and short-staff, the overall rating can sometimes slip between the 3.5 and 4 rating.
Slaughter stated that maintenance of lawn facilities is less nuanced than the maintenance of restroom facilities.
“We’re here to try to help and provide the best campus we can. I want you all to know you’re being heard,” said David Jefferson, Director of Risk Management & Campus Safety.
Dr. Slaughter and Jefferson encouraged students to report any vandalism or facilities issue that may be troubling or needing an immediate response by calling Facilities at 562-938-4040.