Despite other issues, our campus is clean

At least for one moment, let us eschew the cynicism and be appreciative rather than critical.

Despite many problems and challenges, our University’s campus is rather clean.

Scanning the about 1,900 acre campus, you would be hard pressed to find two pieces of litter on the same sidewalk.

This past Sunday, I took part in an event called “Campus Cleanup.”

Organized by the Kelley Institute for Social Impact’s Civic Leadership Development group, student organizations spread out across campus equipped with gloves and garbage bags.

However, it seemed most students spent more time meandering around campus searching for litter than actually cleaning it up.

After all, aside from the stray Rally’s bag or beer can, there was not much litter on campus — tailgate fields notwithstanding.

Take a stroll through Bloomington, and you will notice the contrast in the cleanliness on campus and off campus.

Considering the tens of thousands of students on campus every day, the grounds are practically immaculate.

Though IU students are undoubtedly civic-minded and not likely to litter, on a campus the size of IU, there will inevitably be trash.

It takes a team of dedicated University employees to maintain the level of groundskeeping and landscaping at our University.

Don’t mistake this sentiment for IU propaganda and flag-waving.

From a horrendous parking system, a total failure to reach diversity goals and a million other problems in between, our University has plenty of faults. The aesthetics of our campus is far from one of them.

Though our tuition dollars are providing this service, we should be thankful nonetheless.

That 8 a.m. lecture would be even worse if you had to step over trash on your walk to class.

At least in this case, the tuition money is well spent.

Let’s be glad that men and women are working to make our campus more attractive.

As a natural cynic, I rarely, if ever, notice the positive aspects of an organization.

It took three hours of searching for discarded refuse for me to stop taking the beauty of our campus for granted.

To all those that work to keep our campus looking postcard-worthy, I sincerely thank you.

On your way to classes, notice the beauty of our campus.

We may be paying higher tuition to afford this luxury, but the added expense is well justified.

And see to it that your trash makes it into the trash can.

­— johnfren@indiana.edu
Follow columnist John French on Twitter @JOHN_M_FRENCH.