SGU's Main Campus receives some polishing over the summer

By Sammie Bordeaux
Sinte Gleska University’s campus is receiving a mini-makeover this summer as staff and faculty work with local volunteers to make the campus bloom.
Several issues arose in the spring semester involving an influx of pigeons roosting roofs in the Science Center and Art Institute buildings. The pigeons were evacuated from the eaves of the buildings using bobble head dolls and cleaning of the buildings commenced. Staff and faculty in both buildings were concerned that the droppings from the birds were drying and getting into the building ventilation systems, causing allergic reactions and sickness in students, faculty and staff.
Julia Cahill, Student Support Services Counselor whose office is based in the SGU Science Center, also initiated a makeover of the building, asking SGU Maintenance to help clean and paint the interior. The building was built in 1972, and aging electrical wiring, plumbing and continuous use by students has taken its toll on the building. Windows will be repaired and iron security mesh added to the exterior of the windows, as several break-ins have resulted in loss of equipment and University property. Cahill went a bit further by asking Carmelita Sully of the SGU Greenhouse to plant a flower bed outside the building.
Sully, director of the SGU Greenhouse, worked at several locations on the main campus this summer planting flowers and bulbs to add some color to the campus lawns. The SGU Bookstore, Main Campus sign area, and SGU Science Center all received new flower beds with Sully’s help and the help of volunteers like Donna Adrian, Master Gardener from White River, who has been working with Sully all summer to improve the Greenhouse and beautify the campus. (More on Sully and Adrian on page 12).
The SGU Transportation Department also joined in with the campus beautification project, planting wildflowers and perennials in flowerbeds outside the Transportation Trailer this spring and maintaining the watering and care of the flowerbeds all summer in between carting students to campus three times daily. The Transportation Crew includes: Delores Barron, Dave Delgarito, Elroy Two Strike, Keith Larvie, Bub Larvie and Garfield Leader Charge.
The SGU Science Club worked with SGU Environmental Science instructor, Gerry Lang, to build a medicine-wheel shaped flower bed on the side of the campus facing Highway 18 next to the Lakota Studies buildings. The medicine wheel advertises the four directions, the logo of the University and the importance of life grown within the medicine wheel.
The Scott Bordeaux Leadership Institute received a new picnic table and has a second year of thriving rose bushes and other fauna in its flowerbeds, planted by the late Kim Wilczinski, former Greenhouse director.
In working to provide education to one of the poorest communities in the country, SGU doesn’t always have the money to do more than maintain the buildings and grounds to ensure safety. The help of volunteers, students, faculty and staff helps to keep the campus a welcome and attractive place for students and community members to come to for education, social activities and professional assistance.