CRC officials are doing exactly what no student-supported department should: scapegoating student employees who are in no way responsible for the cockroach infestation caused by a flaw in the drainage system around the indoor pool.
Following a Diamondback story last week, lifeguard coordinator Stephen Parks e-mailed his staff to warn them about the out-of-control critters, encouraging them to clean up more regularly or consider leaving the staff. But he failed to mention their work habits have nothing to do with the problem, the origins of which lie in the drainage system that dumps water into the ground underneath the building, forming a gap where hundreds of cockroaches live contentedly.
What the officials are attempting to do is appalling – avoid a problem and intimidate employees into working toward a futile pursuit. Increased cleanliness around the pool area will do nothing to solve the heart of the issue.
As the state health department told a Diamondback reporter, the Campus Recreation Center should acknowledge the cockroach problem and work to fix it rather than bully its employees. It has yet to be seen what kind of health effects an infestation of these dimensions could have on the students who use the pool, which is exactly why the health department is planning a surprise inspection.
Maybe having employees sweeping up food scraps or storing equipment where the roaches could be lurking more often will result in a few less roaches crawling up the pool drains, but it won’t change the problem. Just because one or two patrons would be less likely to notice the bugs on the pool platform during business hours doesn’t mean there are any fewer down there.
The CRC is publicly funded by student activity fees and is one of the most popular departments among students. There should be a guarantee that if a public health concern comes to the attention of department officials, those officials will act responsibly and begin to solve the problem immediately, rather than try to sweep it under the rug by bullying their employees.