The University of Wyoming custodial staff is some members of the UW community that can sometimes be overlooked. Their work can sometimes be taken for granted.
However, despite maybe not always getting the recognition they deserve, Dennis Teague, the custodial supervisor of the Wyoming Union, thinks he has one of the best jobs on campus.
“I love working in the union, it’s one of the best places on campus because of the interaction with the students,” Teague said.
“The opportunity to interact with them, to talk to them, maybe listen to a problem they might have, maybe give some advice.”
Multiple custodians within the Union echoed Teague’s opinions on the job and interaction with students.
“I work for these people, my bosses don’t pay me, the students pay me,” Alan “Alan-Man” Candelaria said. “I’d say interacting with the people is my favorite part of it.”
Candelaria has worked as a custodian for 29 years at UW, 26 in the dorms and three in the Wyoming Union. He also claims it’s the easiest job that he has ever had.
Summer for the custodial staff differs from their routine work during the fall and spring semesters. Most of the cleaning done is heavy and deep cleaning.
This cleaning includes extracting carpets, washing chairs and furniture and deep cleaning the restrooms. The cleaning can close an area in the Union for upwards of a day, but no longer than that.
The job isn’t always a joy and has its down moments.
“My least favorite part of the job would have to be when we do the deep cleaning of the bathrooms,” Glenn Thomas said.
“The other part would have to be trash pickup because you never know what’s going to be in those cans.”
Thomas is in his sixth year as a custodian in the Union. He believes that the job and cleaning up campus is one of the most important things.
“If you don’t have the cleaning done, nothing else can take place,” Thomas said.\
“If we didn’t clean the food courts, pretty soon trashes would be overflowing, tables wouldn’t be able to be used and the food courts wouldn’t be able to be used.”
Teague reiterated Thomas’ thoughts about cleanliness on campus.
“It’s important [to stay clean] for safety and cleanliness concerns,” Teague said. “Nobody wants to walk around with their campus looking like a junkyard.”
However, the job means more to the custodial staff than keeping the campus clean. It is an opportunity for them to interact with students.
Candelaria recalled several different times he would be approached by former students who had previously graduated visiting. They would typically stop by and talk to Candelaria for a bit remembering him.
“It is a rewarding feeling, for what I do because I provide a service for the students,” Candelaria said.
Students can return the favor to all the custodial staff across campus by simply cleaning up themselves.
“If you see it, you can pick it up and throw it away,” Teague said about how students can help. “That would help out a tremendous bit, if everyone did just that little bit our jobs would be that much easier.”
