Since the post-pandemic reopening of campus, Queens College students have noticed a steady decline in restroom maintenance. The recent budget cuts and widespread understaffing suggests that service reductions are being made out of financial necessity rather than sustainability measures.
As reported by The Knight News on March 17th, CUNY colleges are facing financial pressures as “rising operational costs and declining enrollment have strained institutional budgets as campuses work to maintain academic programs and essential service.” It’s becoming clear that these financial constraints are not only affecting academic departments and classrooms, but restroom quality as well.
The removal of paper towels is one of the many concerns that students have shared regarding the restrooms on campus. Senior Political Science major Tasha Jeffers said, “They’re very dirty, often smell damp, have hair left in sinks and sometimes have no soap available.”
Jeffers mentioned that she’s had to travel to another building, specifically Honors Hall, to use the restroom because it’s more reliable and cleaner. An anonymous student also shared their experiences in campus restrooms stating “campus bathrooms are generally not stocked and often messy with overflowing bins.”
Restroom quality has become a building-by-building lottery for students. The growing inconsistency of maintenance across campus has them reflecting on the tuition they pay for these amenities. “It makes me feel like it’s not worth it. We pay a lot in tuition, so basic services should be maintained,” said Jeffers.
While students continue to report frequent shortages of basic hygiene supplies, interim assistant Vice President for Facilities Planning and Operations Denese Gordon suggests that the issue may not be a simple lack of inventory. “We are exploring the lack of soap in restrooms as related to matters other than a restocking issue,” Gordon stated.
The post-pandemic transition from paper towels to electric hand dryers was made for cost efficiency and positive environmental impacts. Regarding the absence of paper towels, Gordon mentioned that they are only provided in restrooms that do not have electric hand dryers. It’s unclear which buildings have paper towels, if any at all.
There were also other concerns discovered during the examination of restrooms, such as out-of-order stalls and structural decay on the third floor of Remsen Hall.
Despite students’ claims that reduced custodial staff and budget have led to a decline in maintenance, the college affirms that cleanliness standards are being met. “The college prides itself on managing budgetary and custodial resources under any circumstance so that it may continue to provide the expected level of service to the campus community,” said Gordon. She further noted that despite budget pressures, “campus restrooms are cleaned daily.”
While the administration insists that essential restroom care and services remain unaffected by financial constraints, students who use the restrooms on campus daily experience a different reality.
