OLD WESTBURY — The SUNY Old Westbury campus is typically quieter during the summer but for CSEA members employed at the school, the warmer months are among our busiest.
Alphonso Haynes applies a fresh coat of paint to one of SUNY Old Westbury’s many dorm rooms.
Our members at SUNY Old Westbury spend the summer getting the campus prepared for the fall semester.
“While the kids are out, it gives a chance to do an overhaul of the buildings,” said maintenance worker Alphonso Haynes. “We fix furniture and windows and whatever else needs to be worked on.”
Summer also gives the maintenance staff the opportunity to go into the dorms and do a lot of the painting that they can’t do when the rooms are being occupied.
“It’s very important for us that both the students and their parents are satisfied with the work that we’re doing,” said Haynes.
Juli Sweeney gets ready to pick up some students on orientation day.
While Juli Sweeney primarily works as a bus driver at the college, her summer work also includes other tasks.
“When school is in session, I drive about 150 miles a day” said Sweeney. “When school is out, I drive about 50 miles a day. When I’m not driving, I fill in for the clerical staff or go wherever else someone needs help. We’re short staffed right now, so we do what we can to help each other out. We have to protect each other.”
Because the campus’ cleanliness of a school is also very important, the janitorial staff is also hard at work during the summer.
“We clear out the classrooms and strip and wax the floors. We also clean the radiators and clean off the chairs,” said Teresa Branch, a janitor. “That’s in addition to our daily routines, which includes keeping the bathrooms and offices clean as well as vacuuming the carpets.”
CSEA members working on the SUNY Old Westbury campus are careful to point out how much they love their jobs, which is reflected in the high quality of their work.
“I love cleanliness and I want to make sure that the students and my co-workers have a clean, organized space to work in,” said Sweeney.
Our members’ hard work has been noticed by parents, who have approached staff members to thank them for their efforts.
“It really feels nice to see that the parents appreciate what we’re doing for their kids,” said Haynes. “Naturally, it makes you want to do more when you see that your work is being appreciated.”
— Wendi Bowie
