Showing our appreciation

The most courteous of us only say a simple "hello" to the maintenance staff working in our dorm before rushing madly to class. But most of us, distracted by friends and the frantic pace of life at Princeton, forget to show them the gratitude and appreciation they deserve. We rarely even say "thank you" to these individuals who work tirelessly everyday to clean up the messes we thoughtlessly create. Luckily at the end of the month, the University will officially celebrate "Building Services Employee Appreciation Week."

But while the period of March 27-31 has been specifically set aside to celebrate the contributions of Building Services employees to the University community, we should not limit our thanks to this week alone. Rather, "Building Services Employee Appreciation Week" should serve as a reminder for us to treat these University employees with respect every day of the year. And while the celebration may not officially begin for another few weeks, now is the time to begin expressing our gratitude.

The University is privileged to have individuals like Jesus Ramos, who has diligently worked for Building Services since 1976. As he explains in his profile on the Building Services website, Ramos moved up through the ranks of the Princeton Inn (now Forbes) to supervise 18 dormitories on campus, including all of Wilson and Butler.

From removing trash in hallways to cleaning up food products on stairwell carpets, Building Services makes our living spaces functional and clean. Though we sometimes forget that our dorms are our "homes" for nine months of the year — we certainly forget to treat them accordingly — we must not forget to show gratitude toward the employees of Building Services. These individuals are the ones who work determinedly throughout the year to uphold the high standards of cleanliness and beauty that we have come to enjoy in our beloved University "homes."