Armed with gloves and heavy-duty garbage bags, members of Clean Sweep scoured off-campus streets for trash and of empty beer cans Sunday at their inaugural clean-up.
“We really wanted to address the ‘broken windows’ theory of thinking,” Undergraduate Student Government Vice President Kate Christobek said. “By keeping the community clean, we feel students will take more pride in their community.”
In the Clean Sweep program, USG will pay 25 student organizations $300 per quarter to clean up a specified off-campus street every other week, totaling $7,500 per quarter. The organizations will also complete specialized projects to enhance their assigned street, including the removal of graffiti, landscaping and passing out safety and community information to students.
Christobek initiated the program during winter quarter and is hoping a continuation will yield noticeable results.
“Months down the line we hope to see the community become a lot safer,” she said.
The “broken windows” theory is the belief that neighborhoods filled with trash, broken windows and decrepit building exteriors have a higher crime rate than neighborhoods with a clean appearance. The idea is people who work and live in a deteriorating neighborhood feel more vulnerable and start to withdraw from their community. They are also less likely to help maintain public order, spurring an increase in crime.
Christobek notes The South Campus Gateway as a prime example of the “broken windows” theory making a difference.
“When you go down to the Gateway it is clean and pristine, everyone takes pride in the area and it has become a lot safer than it used to be,” she said.
The Sullivant Society, a leadership and services honorary program, is one of the 25 organizations participating in Clean Sweep. The society’s service coordinator, Lamarr Colvin Jr., said the idea of students making a positive difference is a compelling motivation for involvement.
“Our main objective is for people to see that students are actually out there in the community trying to make it better,” said Colvin, a senior in family resource management.
The Sullivant Society will clean East Lane Avenue from North High Street to Indianola Avenue. The Equestrian Club, is responsible for East 12th Avenue between Summit Street and High Street.
Kayla Feltz, a freshman in animal sciences and member of the Equestrian Club, said the $300 was an incentive to join and the club will use the money to pay for upcoming competitions.
“It is a great community project on top of the money,” said Feltz. “It is also a good time for the team to get together and bond.”
Alexia Cameron can be reached at [email protected].
