Workers in the campus landscape department are aware that the campus is not as beautiful as it has been in past years, but are unable to do anything further due to holds on the budget. “If only you could have seen this campus about six years ago, you wouldn’t see a single weed or any grass growing in the sidewalk,” Steve Fulgham, service manager for campus landscape, said.
The department is unable to hire temporary or summer workers but can still hire students involved in the landscape programs, including turf grass management, sports turf management, golf course management and landscape architecture. Workers are unable to purchase new equipment that is necessary to work.
“We have no equipment budget, and we have to get special permission to buy anything,” Fulgham said.
Textron Co. supplies the campus with maintenance equipment to use for one year, but then the equipment is returned. The equipment is then sold at a discount. Textron does this because one day the students who are using it will be familiar with the name, therefore they use this as advertising. The vehicles used by the campus landscape department also need replacing.
“Most of our trucks are just down and out,” Fulgham said.
The main concern of the workers is the number of jobs.
“We haven’t had cuts, but we can’t replace people. Recently, we’ve had four key people retire, one a supervisor, one a crew leader, and we are unable to replace them,” Fulgham said. “If we had the money to do what we used to do, we’d replace them. Right now we can’t operate at full capacity, and the job’s not getting done,” Fulgham said.
Workers are taking measures to cut costs in many ways. The grass is being mowed less.
“The shrub beds used to be immaculate, with no leaves and fine mulch,” Fulgham said.
Fulgham said two years ago, the crew was staffed with about 15 guys, but now they have three.
“We can’t hire anyone to help,” Fulgham said.
Fulgham stated that President Malcolm Portera is largely in favor of making the campus as beautiful as possible.
While Portera is pro-landscape, he cannot cut academics to further the landscape on campus.
“I can see his point. He is interested in certain aspects. He can’t stand litter,” Fulgham said.
Even though the campus is not as beautiful as workers could manage with more money, the biggest concern is lack of workers.
“It bothered the staff about a year ago when it all first started, but now it’s to where we know we can’t do anything about the budget, so we just do the best we can,” Fulgham said.
“I think it’s depressing to see mulch with no plants in it,” Juli Chapman, a junior floral design major, said. “Campus used to be so pretty, and now it’s just ugly!”
Without more money, hiring more workers cannot happen.