Re: SFU Stinks

At least we have those elegant sandwich boards explaining how to use toilets. JDF

James Dougal Fleming

Professor, Department of English

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby/Vancouver,

British Columbia,

Canada.

The truth is an offence, but not a sin.

-- Bob Marley

From: Nilima Nigam <nigam@math.sfu.ca>
Sent: January 11, 2024 12:22 PM
To: Christian Guilbault
Cc: Sam Black; academic-discussion
Subject: Re: SFU Stinks

Well, the SFU Facilities website is inspirational. They're dedicated to Operational Excellence.

"In order to both engage and inform our departmental colleagues, Facilities Services produces a monthly publication highlighting impactful process improvements proactively initiated by staff members. From improving customer service to engaging employees to finding new and innovative ways to advance ecological, social, and economic sustainability, Facilities Services staff are working hard to accelerate change, eliminate waste, and improve our processes. "

- https://www.sfu.ca/fs/projects-initiatives/operational-excellence-initiatives.html

I think the U2 song says: Facilities, they move in mysterious ways. So if the washrooms are tangy, well, there's got to be some engaging! thoughtful! sustainable! innovative! reason. Just believe.

best

Nilima

On Thu, Jan 11, 2024 at 12:11 PM Christian Guilbault <guilbaul@sfu.ca> wrote:

Hi all,

I concur, WMC is pretty bad. Not enough washrooms, too many people. Bad design. The (only) one downstairs on the first floor (1600 level) on the Econ side has had one of the only two stalls condemned for over a year now —nobody is fixing it apparently—and there is no ventilation. The stench is … well… very unpleasant some days. The accessibility one is permanently locked. Don’t know why. I used to complain to facilities, I have stopped a few years ago.

CG

I may not be able to answer emails immediately, but I will do my best to respond within 48 hours.

Christian Guilbault
Department of French
guilbaul@sfu.ca

(Pronouns: he/him/his)

I respectfully acknowledge that SFU is on the unceded ancestral and traditional territories of the səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

Nous reconnaissons que nous vivons et travaillons sur les territoires non cédés et traditionnels des peuples Salish du Littoral, les nations səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) et kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem).

On Jan 11, 2024, at 11:21 AM, Sam Black <samuel_black@sfu.ca> wrote:

Hi All,

I mean literally. The washrooms in West Mall have the tang and the appearance of utter neglect -- as happens when urinals remain blocked and puddled for days on end, etc. etc.

I don't have a basis for comparison with our competitor institutions. But I can't believe this feature of campus life makes students want to hang around, or makes them think fondly on their university experience.

Budgetary conditions may be tough. But cutting back on cleaning staff (if that's what is going on) strikes me as penny-wise and dollar-foolish.

Maybe I'm just overly-sensitive to messiness. But this does feel like an assault on the senses.

Best,

Sam

Sam Black

Assoc. Prof. Philosophy, SFU

This note is not AI-generated.

I respectfully acknowledge that SFU is on the unceded ancestral and traditional territories of the səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

Nilima Nigam
Professor
Dept. of Mathematics
Simon Fraser University