While eating lunch in the UC cafeteria just a few minutes ago, I noticed several 
signs posted around the area employing various "cute" slogans urging patrons to 
clean up after themselves.  For example, "UC Trash, Pick It Up."  Not exactly 
Shakespeare, but effective enough, I suppose.  I certainly agree with the 
sentiment and support any efforts to reduce litter and clutter in that busy area....

A couple of the signs had the following slogan that caught my attention:  "Don't 
Make Scrappy's Place A Crappy Place."  Now, as a libertarian I am the last 
person who wants a job with the sign police :)  And I am not the sort to be 
easily offended or grossed out ... rather the converse; I would say I have a 
thicker skin than most.  So the signs didn't offend me personally ... but I 
found myself wondering how many visitors to our campus might see them and take a 
less than complimentary view of such language (particularly in a dining area ... 
sometimes you just don't need a "visual" :)

It seems to me that posting such a sign in a well-traveled public area is a case 
of poor P.R. in an era when we should be doing all we can to make our 
institution look more attractive to current and, even more to the point, 
prospective future students.  Not only is the UC cafeteria frequented by today's 
students, faculty, and staff; but often it plays host to visiting groups of 
youngsters who might one day consider attending UTC.  (Not to mention advisory 
board and accreditation team members, legislators, interviewees for campus 
positions, and other visitors who in some cases may be at the other end of the 
age spectrum, hailing from what Tom Brokaw calls "the greatest generation" who 
tend to frown on public use of questionable language.)

So I ask rhetorically ... what impression do we wish to give those young (and 
older) people who visit our campus -- not to mention their teachers, parents, 
and grandparents who sometimes accompany them to our facilities?  It's not my 
call to make in this case, nor do I want that job ... but it should be "food for 
thought" for those who are in a position to decide.

Joe Dumas

P.S.  I'm not about to get into the debate about *what kinds* of food the 
cafeteria should be serving or how much we should eat or exercise.  I try to 
limit myself to one or two major controversies at a time :)  With that in mind, 
I appreciate and accept Chris Stuart's apology for the tone of his comments last 
week.  Collegiality is a good thing, and given the sharp exchanges on the 
"obesity issue" these last couple of days, I think it would be great if more of 
us could disagree without being disagreeable.  And yes, I do intend to answer 
the substance of Chris's comments when I can find time ... but time has been in 
short supply for me of late.  So, back to the salt mines....  JD

-- 
"One man with courage is a majority." -- Thomas Jefferson