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Whether it’s going to the gym, having a study session at the library or ordering a beverage from Dunkin’ Donuts, you’re bound to run into a Syracuse University student employee on campus. Most people extend the common respect and empathy these workers deserve. But some students aren’t as considerate.

Employees of SU facilities are often victims of unfriendly, dismissive or outright disrespectful behavior, which makes their daily work environments more challenging than necessary.

From being ignored or spoken to rudely to dealing with ridiculous messes, these staff members don’t receive basic courtesy despite providing essential services that keep our campus running smoothly.

I spoke to staff from around campus and learned about their experiences with students in the workplace. Some illustrated recurring themes. A supervisor at The Barnes Center at the Arch described to me a situation where they were disrespected by a patron who proceeded to berate and belittle on the basis of the staff member’s gender. Desk workers have also reported instances of contempt from students, even during simple interactions like swiping SUID cards in dorms.

The causes behind these adverse on-campus work experiences display a pattern: the employee calmly tries to do their job, before falling victim to students’ lack of grace in understanding they’re being paid for their work. Campus staff is forced to attempt to personally navigate the altercation without getting themselves in trouble.

Unfortunately, these incidents are not isolated. They point to an ever-present trend of unwanted student behavior that creates a stressful and, at times, demoralizing work environment for campus employees.

Beyond individual acts of disrespect, many staff members also face systemic challenges like inadequate support from management, who may prioritize student relations. This is in addition to the unrealistic expectations from students who forget these workers are more than mere service providers.

Treating staff poorly affects the greater population of SU in more ways than ill-mannered students realize. It demonstrates an attitude of privilege and a gap in cultural respect from many students.

Incidents like the ones I’ve observed contribute to negative blanket views of every student at SU, not just those causing the problems in the first place. Freshmen, like myself, are generally the most impressionable to behaviors like this, so this is far from the precedent SU students should be setting.

Fresh out of high school, first-year students are in an independent, adult-like environment for the first time. Less parental guidance means that many look to peers for how to act and fit in at college. In high school, adults were consistently around to micromanage our treatment of others.

Now, we can choose how to act with less visible consequences. Values are still being shaped at this time in our lives, and the way the crowd behaves can interfere with this process. Insensitive behaviors become normalized in our campus culture. Carrying yourself positively doesn’t just improve your own image — it reflects the wider student body’s manners.

When people are seemingly accidentally rude, it can be easier to forgive. But I typically get the sense that it’s intentional.

Considering how easy it can be for people to relieve their impatience and frustration at the expense of student-employees, too many SU students have shown me they have no idea how to treat peers with the respect they deserve.

The way you treat workers influences the staffer’s day as well as their self-esteem. I’ve been working in customer service and similar jobs since I was 15. Not only have I been berated by grown adults, but my intelligence and capabilities, along with my looks, have been directly insulted, questioned and denounced.

These interactions no doubt hindered me at times, convincing me I can’t do my job and even seeping parasitically into my concept of self-worth.

As adults, my coworkers and I have grown past the ways these actions affected us when we were younger. We understand that this behavior is not a reflection of us, but of the person displaying it. Now, we simply focus on our work — clocking in, doing our jobs and clocking out.

After multiple instances of student disrespect this semester, I have advice as a current Barnes employee for students the next time they address an SU staff member.

Even if you’re in a rush, pause to take a deep breath and say “thank you.” Appreciate the fact that the problem you’re facing is likely not the employee’s fault. Simply extending more kindness in common everyday transactions goes deeper than people realize. Remember to adjust for the reality that we might be having just as bad of a day as you are.

The staff at this university try their best to do their jobs well, the same as you put care into your studies. I urge you to genuinely consider if making a fellow student’s day worse will truly help you feel better. Just because someone works in an SU-affiliated building doesn’t mean they deserve to be treated as lesser. They’re students, just like you.

Nina Gugino is a freshman political science major. She can be reached at nagugino@syr.edu.

Published on February 16, 2025 at 9:43 pm