The university will next Tuesday host a staff appreciation event in the Alumnae Lounge of the Aidekman Arts Center to thank its employees for coming in to work during incidents that otherwise shut down the school this year, such as Hurricane Sandy, winter blizzards and the recent Boston Marathon bombing.
The reception is the result of collaboration between University President Anthony Monaco and sophomore Gabriel Rothman, who on Sunday created a Change.org petition calling for Monaco to give all Dining Services staff a day off.
This year was so detrimental for our city in general, and the dining staff, Facilities [Services], the Tufts University Police Department and all of the university staff has come in regardless of what terrorists are running around or what weather is raining down on us, an especially large sacrifice, Rothman said.
The petition, which had garnered 386 signatures as of press time, attracted Monacos attention when Rothman posted the link to Monacos Facebook wall.
I got over 300 signatures overnight, and I think that really made a splash for President Monaco, and that is great because we got on his radar, Rothman said. The next day [Monaco] responded with a short blurb, including some concerns about my suggestion, and he invited me to meet with him.
At the meeting, Monaco proposed hosting a reception for university staff and expanding the event to include all staff instead of just the Dining Services employees, Rothman said.
I am anticipating contacting some a cappella groups and dance groups like Sarabande to help entertain at the event, I am reaching out to students to speak at the event and President Monaco is working out some of the administrators that are going to speak, Rothman said.
Director of Dining and Business Services Patti Klos expressed gratitude toward students for reaching out to the Dining Services staff over the past week.
Students have expressed all sorts of appreciation hugs, bringing in employees handmade flowers, writing wonderful notes, sending tweets, posting on our Facebook page, letters to the editor and this, to me, said someone wants to express appreciation in a broader way, she said.
Klos said that Dining Services is a necessary service even in an emergency, explaining that employees will fulfill their responsibilities even under adverse circumstances.
When you take a job that you know you are essential for, and you know that you are required to be at your place of employment because you render an essential service, it gives you the opportunity to plan ahead, she said.
Rothman cited his own experience working in dining services as a high school student and last year in Carmichael Dining Hall as integral in his decision to help organize the staff appreciation event.
When you walk into the dining hall, you dont really think about what goes on behind the scenes, but when you actually meet the people, you talk to them, you become friends with them, you become part of that community and you get an insight into a different part of the system, he said.
Rothman said he was especially concerned about university staff during the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing.
I wanted to make sure their families were okay and that they were okay in such a stressful time, he said. We should repay them with an equal sacrifice to what they made for us.
