Stinky, horrid and atrocious and are not words that should come to mind when walking to eat in the Student Union.
When walking from the Residence Hall to the Student Union for dinner one beautiful afternoon, I was engulfed by a rancid stench that made me lose my appetite. But the dining hall was closing in an hour so I decided to continue on my quest.
After forcing myself to eat some food, so I wouldn't be starving later, I had to endure a walk back to the Residence Hall but this time with a full stomach.
I naively thought the stench of baked fecal matter had just faded away. Unfortunately for me and my stomach, that was not the case and I was unable to successfully complete my trip without vomiting.
The grotesque smell from not just one but many portable toilets, as well as a dumpster, along the most direct route from the apartments and Residence Hall causes nasal discomfort and nausea. Freshmen pay to live on campus in new facilities, but also have to pay for a meal plan to dine here.
I am not the only student that feels this way. On Nov. 8, I started a Facebook group about the situation and within two days the group accumulated more than 100 members and continues to grow.
This issue is much larger than just discomfort when walking to the Union.
Many faculty and students who aren't freshmen were ecstatic about the new Dining Hall and voluntarily purchased meal plans. When they choose to eat at the Dining Hall or Comet Cafe, their appetites are assaulted along the way.
When administrators fail to see or remedy this problem, it seems like they're saying, "You already paid for your dining dollars and/or meal plan."
I am not suggesting that contractors should remove the portable toilets and dumpster altogether, leaving our hard-working construction workers without facilities.
The solution is beneficial to everyone: move the portable toilets and dumpster away from high-traffic walkways.
Keeping the portable toilets out of sight, mind and most importantly, out of our noses, is essential to helping our campus continue to grow. Potential students are already put off with the vast construction projects. Do we really want to offer them another reason to avoid this campus?
By simply moving the portable toilets as far from students and faculty as possible, this stink will fade away. Then, students and faculty can once again enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner without taking detours though McDermott Library or trying to hold their breath as they walk.
John Gracia is an electrical engineering freshman and lives in the Residence Hall. His Facebook group is called, "Take Away The Horrid Smell Near The UTD Dining Hall."
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