By Kristi Williams

"This room isn't going to clean itself."

Many students have heard parents make this statement or similar ones like it when household tasks have been neglected. However, the academic buildings, fraternity and sorority houses, on-campus living quarters, and even the Elrod Commons don't clean themselves either. Instead, it takes a diverse staff of men and women, who often have to arrive on the job early in the morning, to maintain the sanitary environment students enjoy.

Troy Hatcher and Rosemary Cochran maintain Gaines Hall dormitories from five in the morning until one in the afternoon. They arrive two hours earlier than the maintenance workers in the freshman dorms, yet the tasks that they perform are generally the same. Both expressed satisfaction with the laid back nature of their position.

"It's a flexible job...You have time to do what you want and if you have a second job like most people do in our department, there's no problem," Hatcher said.

Although their daily routine is well underway before the first class has even begun, some Washington and Lee custodians work even earlier than Cochran and Hatcher. Those who maintain the academic buildings on campus complete their duties from the hours of three to eleven in the morning.

Sean Suggs maintains Leyburn Library and believes that working this particular shift can be a challenge.

"Three to eleven is just hard to do...I have rough weeks as opposed to days...Sometimes the hours just make the week rough," Suggs said.

Linda Hall, who maintains the Williams School of Commerce, thinks that after a while the body just gets adjusted. After holding her position for 17 years, Hall admits to not even needing an alarm clock anymore. However, her hours and working conditions as a custodian are different from those of her previous job in W &L's Dining Service.

She worked in that department from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. But according to Hall, although her hours are now later, the working conditions are less hectic and the pay is better.

While the starting pay for custodians, $9 per hour and almost $19,000 per year, is higher than that of workers in Dining Services, it still would not get a family of four over the poverty line.

Workers expressed concern for their finances mainly when considering the affect of rising prices in the economy. Suggs has a realistic approach to this issue.

"The cost of living has always been a little high...but you just have to adapt, you know it's getting hard for everybody," said Suggs.

Steven McClure, Washington and Lee's new Director of Human Resources, says that it is fair when compared to other figures. For the greater Lexington area, the average starting pay for hourly workers is $7.50 - $8. For the state, it is $7.50 - $8.30.

McClure said that Washington and Lee's new starting pay for custodians of $9 was just recently implemented in 2005.

"Before making changes, it used to be whatever people would accept in a sense," McClure said.

He also said that he and the Human Resources Department are working to alleviate financial pressures for all workers. His department is in the process of making changes to the employee healthcare plan that are geared towards the lower-paid employees.

Currently, the employer contributes 60 percent towards the worker's healthcare plan, while the employee contributes 40. After the new plan is put into action in July of 2006, the employee's contribution will be decreased by almost 3 percent.

He also cites generous benefits already in place.  They include a sick leave policy and college tuition assistance for employee's children.  

The majority of the workers have held their positions for no less than five years and no more than 25. They have various incentives for remaining at the university for an extended period of time including family, basic financial obligations, and overall contentment with the benefits of being a W&L employee. However, one sentiment that was common among the custodians was an appreciation for those who work in close proximity to them.

"It's always been my workers...Washington and Lee has done a lot for me... but if I ever had to leave, I'd probably miss them the most," said Suggs.

Hear what Washington and Lee custodians have to say about some of the benefits and challenges of their positions.

View pictures of the workers who sometimes go unnoticed.

Get the inside scoop on the daily tasks that must be performed in order to keep W &L's campus clean.

Read about what administration had to say in regards to the treatment of custodial workers.

What do students think about the cleanliness of Washington and Lee buildings?

main page

Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.

Lead supervisor:      Prof. Claudette Artwick

Reporting supervisor: Prof. Doug Cumming

Editing supervisor:  Prof. Pamela Luecke

Technical supervisor:  Michael Todd