Everyday we interact with various staff members, from janitors to professors, who are crucial to the smooth running of our school, yet very rarely do we stop to get to know them. In this monthly column, I’ll be doing just that.
Why? Because from our first day on campus, we have been deluged with the promise that the University of Puget Sound is an all-accepting, all-inclusive community.
While this is true in many ways, it seems only to apply to the students, but we are not the only ones here. All-inclusive isn’t isolated to just us; it encompasses the entire population of the University.
As of now the two demographics seem to be distinctly categorized as “students” and “non-students.” Of course, there are occasional liaisons, but not nearly enough. Instead of having one cohesive community, we have two patently separate groups on campus.
You may be one of the students who extends the customary thanks when being served at the Cellar or checked out at the S.U.B. If you are, kudos, but that doesn’t mean your work is done. Do you remember to do the same when you encounter the man who cleans your bathrooms or the woman who empties the trash cans? Do you know their names or what kind of a person they are? Or do you still identify them by their presence in your life?
The purpose of this column is twofold. First, it serves to challenge each of you to question the way you view the people around you. Are they extras in the film of your life, or are they leads of a different plotline that runs parallel to yours?
Secondly, it will introduce you to these members of our community. Together we will learn their stories so that we can begin to take steps toward an all-inclusive campus.
I hope I’m not alone in wanting to work toward this alternative sense of community. Keep an eye on future issues for our first installment.
