BARD COLLEGE / SINCE 1934 / Thursday OCTOBER the 12, 2006 LUDLOW REVOKES ON CAMPUS TRASH SERVICES FOR EMPLOYEES Staff Forced to Use More Expensive by Kaye Cain Off-Campus Alternatives by Michael Brown SeptembeR 11Th, 2006- AS The Rest oF LICEThe nati onEp RehIdashedEm 2001’ICS Terrorist ffective OctOber 1, bard impossible to enumerate every benefit in the contract. I have attacks, The freedom-LovInG citizenS emplOyees are nO lOnger the right to drink from a school drinking fountain even though SwEEpS CampuS it is not indicated in the contract.” Contractual issues will be oF AnnAndale-on-HudSon quietly Fell able tO dispOse Of their further discussed when meetings to renegotiate the expired B&G victim To AnoTheR strike. On and beyond that residential garbage On contract start again on Oct. 17. day, nearly one hundred of our own were robbed of dignity E Not every employee on campus utilized trash disposal and personal liberties by a small but powerful insurgent force. campus, fOrcing them tO seek Out mOre expensive alternatives services, but for those that took advantage of the resource, it was An undisclosed number of the sly insurgents, thought to have a great convenience being so close to the workplace. Employees “hitched a ride from the [nursery school] summer camp with a with private dispOsal cOmpanies that utilized the service paid a $120 annual fee in order to be hard-working student,” (Barbara Jean Briskey, Associate Director Off-campus. Citing new environmental restrictions included on a list officiated by Laurie Husted. The demographics of Health Services), are still at large. and issues of cost-effectiveness, Ludlow informed the staff of of the list included, as Husted said, “A lot of B&G employees—about As word of mouth spread news of the attack, many were the change to the service that has been available for decades in 90%, some Security, some retired employees as well.” She also appalled. A few didn’t give a shit, even when directly affected. the past. Amidst B&G and Security contract renegotiations, the addressed financial concerns, “It’s going to be more expensive But most everyone was somewhat shaken. Says Briskey, “This is Union has filed a grievance on the matter. for employees. It reflects more of the cost.” my 13th year at Bard. I have never, ever seen an outbreak of this In a September 13 letter addressed to community members, Employees such as Pinchbeck have a few options remaining— magnitude.” So whom are they targeting? Some think those with Vice President of Administration Jim Brudvig attributed the move they can hire a private hauler at an approximate cost of $25/ longish hair are at greater risk, or people who don’t shower as to hazardous materials such as aerosol cans that make it into month, or drive their household garbage to the Columbia County much as others. But, as it shakes out, no one is safe. As Briskey Bard’s system, “While it is legal to dispose of some of these items Transfer Station, usually only possible on weekends for most told me, “they do not discriminate.” These lice hate America. in residential trash, it is not legal for Bard to handle these items employees. Pinchbeck voiced his concern over the having every Damn straight, we’ve got lice. We would. Even though Ashley as solid waste.” The letter also said that the hazardous materials employee forced to drive individually to Columbia County, “It’s Wildman of ResLife claims “lice are more present in colleges aspect of the program “adds significantly to our disposal costs.” than you’d think,” the thought of lice overrunning an affluent The legal issues brought up by Brudvig stem from the fact liberal arts campus is strange to say the least. But we go to that Bard’s status with the Environmental Protection Agency nOt every emplOyee On campus Bard College, and live for all things edgy and eccentric. No (EPA) has changed in recent years from non regulated to highly utilized trash dispOsal services, doubt the lice terrorize our campus through paranoia-induced regulated. In 2000 Bard volunteered for a compliance audit to but fOr thOse that tOOk mayonnaise head-rinses and obsessive bagging of winter coats. avoid fines that other schools such as Vassar had incurred for But, they also help grant us that certain je ne sais quoi that makes their environmental violations, a process that was completed advantage Of the resOurce, it us Bardians. Lice are kind of freak-folk. and fully disclosed in March of this year. Laurie Husted, Bard’s was a great cOnvenience Anyway, the lice still make people itch. So they’ve got to go. Environmental Resources Auditor and the head of BERD, said being sO clOse tO the wOrkplace. Although administrative response to the lice attack seemed slow that the voluntary efforts have saved the college over $300,000 (according to ResLife, they did not want to spread “mass hysteria” in government fines since the year 2000. by putting out information too soon), things are looking up for The move to remove trash service privileges is being met with inherently anti-environmental to drive 20 miles every week eradication of the rebel pests. “We were at peak last Thursday, resistance from the Union because of the long standing nature to drop off household trash.” Brudvig pointed out alternatives and I believe by next week the numbers will be radically down,” of the program and the significant added expense that will be such as a Red Hook dropping station on Saturdays for employees Briskey speculates. For this, she credits the “resourcefulness put on the shoulders of the college’s most underpaid employees. who live in the immediate vicinity. Brudvig commented on the and resilience” of the students, Lisa Perlman of Health Services Brudvig explained, “This thing about garbage is not in the [B&G] prospect of employees no longer having an on campus option, “My and the PCs, and Ashley at ResLife for her education program. contract.” Steve Pinchbeck, an official steward of the Union and guess is that 90% of those people are happy to do otherwise.” “And,” she reminds us, “don’t forget the housekeeping staff who the B&G employee in charge of waste disposal, characterized A primary concern of the administration in the policy move is have been vacuuming your couches with extra vigilance.” So, the service as a benefit. He said that benefits are decided by in regards to the prevalence of illegal and irresponsible dumping say thanks to all those folks, then your ass in gear. The lice are two things, “Written contract and precedent.” He added, “It is on campus, whether it be by authorized staff or not. Brudvig still among us. If they hit you next, don’t panic. Just follow those explained how little he felt the college was able to enforce proper sheets up in your dorms that tell you how to be clean, and hit up disposal techniques when services were still being legally Health Services for a check if you’re worried. Or, you can always offered, “Did they separate their garbage out properly according shave your head. to Bard standards—I just don’t know.” Pinchbeck responded to such concerns regarding the disposal practices of employees that had been legally dumping their household garbage, “It is my opinion that they are the least abusive population on Look at these articles campus.” He explained how he, as the man in charge of disposal, » Smoking Kiosk Update--2 had approached employees in the past, “Every time we’ve have » InterviewI want w/ Authoryou In WilliamSIdE m Gass--3E. someone new, I’ve made it clear that I’m a resource.” »TLS: Tuberculosis Relief Project--5 Bard owned residences including faculty housing will continue to receive trash services. Husted said that a letter had » SmogFest Coverage--8 gone out to all professors and others living in such residences » Science of Sleep Review--10 Continued on page 2 Page 001 The Bard Observer The BARD Observer /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// the campus to go smoke-free prior to the New York law banning CAMPUS TRASH, from page 1 smoking in dorms was in place. (He chose to mention fire hazards informing of them of the legal constraints the school is under. She as a reason for banning inside smoking, citing the ban on candles, also added that for Bard owned residences trash collectors are and while this is a reasonable argument one has to wonder if it able to see firsthand what is thrown out, and therefore are able isn’t just a convenient additional reason to get smoking banned to monitor any signs of hazardous materials. She stressed the from the insides of buildings.) As a result, he has been looking importance of understanding that the move is a necessary part into prefabricated kiosks in an attempt to get the campus to go of the changing nature of the college, “We’ve grown as a college. smoke-free. Unfortunately, though, they have so far been either As we grow, so do the need for policies.” been horrible or beyond the project’s budget. Stan Stroh, Campus Activities Coordinator, has been assigned Pinchbeck encouraged students to make efforts understand to work with Patrick. So far they have come up with numerous what it means to get by in the Hudson Valley. He expressed his proposals about how to go about the project. One idea currently concerns about how the move to stop trash services on campus being floated is to have the structures specially designed to fit in would affect the livelihood of some of his co-workers, “An extra What $3,000 looks like with the part of campus in which each is placed.