Bridgewater, Va. – Due to a custodial staffing shortage at Bridgewater College, many students have noticed that the residence halls are not as clean as they used to be, especially residential restrooms. 

“The bathroom’s need to be cleaned every day. Bathroom’s are currently cleaned once a week,” said sophomore Val West. “There was one time where we went a week without toilet paper. The bathroom was also very unsanitary.” 

According to an email sent by Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Steve Bright on Sept. 16, 17 of the typical 30 custodial staff positions are currently filled. In the email, Bright also detailed the “temporary priorities for custodial coverage.”   

Priority 1A is maintaining quarantine spaces when occupied. Priority 1B is daily cleaning of “all restrooms, the Student Health Clinic, high usage areas in Nininger – including locker and weight rooms and trash removal from restrooms and public areas.”

BC football players remember that during their summer training camp, the bathrooms in their residence halls were clean.

“During camp, the bathrooms were clean for the most part, but I never saw the janitors clean once,” said junior Jordan Hughes. “Once returning students came back to campus, that’s when the unsanitary conditions began.”

Since this email was sent, students have noticed that the bathrooms have been cleaned everyday.

In the email sent from Bright, students are reminded to “use the work order system to request custodial services” if there is a custodial need.