Eleven years ago, the university opened a brand new building that carried the name of its predecessor, the John Garrick Hardy Center. The building was an upgrade from the previous center as it included other essential offices, fast-food restaurants, and other areas such as the copy center, an ID station and a nice living room for relaxation.
The university also wanted to make the building a “one-stop shop” as it had many of the offices that students find it necessary to visit in one building such as the Cashier’s station, Office of Financial Aid, Office of Admissions and Recruitment, Office of Student Accounts, and the Office of Records and Registration.
Eleven years later, the John Garrick Hardy Center looks like it is 25 years old. The carpet upstairs is dirty, the restrooms are in need of a deep cleaning while some need repairs, the new gameroom looks as if a tornado came in and touched down and the new furniture that the university just purchased in August looks cheap and is dismantling daily.
As an editorial board, we are simply asking the university to please give some needed attention to the John Garrick Hardy Center. John Garrick Hardy was a noted educator and administrator who was beloved by many of the students who attended Alabama State University and it was named in his honor for that very reason. Because the Hardy Center is a place that visitors enter daily, the impression that it gives upon first arrival is the impression that many people leave the university with.
First, we are asking students to understand that this is our university and the way that we maintain our university demonstrates the pride that we have in our university.
In addition, keep the restrooms clean by cleaning up after yourself and flushing the commodes (toilets) after using them. No one wants to come into a restroom and use a commode that is full of feces. Place the paper towels in the recepticles povided for garbage and if a toilet is not functioning correctly, report it to the university administrator closest to that restroom so that they can call for maintenance immediately.
Second, we are also asking students to eat and drink downstairs so that the furniture upstairs can remain decent. It is nothing worse than to see velour furniture with food and drink stains where people have to sit. It is very discouraging.
Third, we are asking the people in maintenance to please come in and shampoo the carpet, as it is filthy and simply embarrassing to any visitor who wants to see the university. Because the John Garrick Hardy Center is utilized so much it is essential that the carpet be shampooed at least once every three months.
Finally, we are also asking the people in maintenance to purchase some decent vacuum cleaners and require the people who maintain the building to vacuum at least once a week. We can only get our carpet vacuumed when we request it and that should be a weekly action, as it helps to maintain the carpet and allow students to have pride in their building.
Look, these building costs millions of tax dollars and it is important, as a university community, that we give attention to the way that we maintain our buildings.
If we want to be a “class act”, we at least have to look like a class act. Unfortunately, an unfinished gameroom, dirty carpet, unkept restrooms, and cheap furniture do not in any way resemble a class act.