Concerns are being raised that members of the University of Auckland Arts Faculty can’t clean up after themselves in the workplace. Some say this is likely due to them living with mum for a prolonged time after graduating.
For over a week, half-eaten and expiring food items were reportedly left in a shared fridge and kitchen area in the Social Sciences building. Shown in a damning image of the communal area was a chewed on-apple, a rotten banana, someone’s leftover spaghetti their mother packed for them, and mouldy cream.
The Te Puna Mārama Building located on 58 Symonds Street is home to Social Sciences, Media and Screen and Communications facilities. Recent events have raised concerns that Arts graduates may lack vital skills expected of a university graduate, including but not limited to common sense.
An email sent by the Group Services team called for those responsible to remove or dispose of their revolting items as soon as possible, warning of the health hazard it created. This information was highlighted in bold in the email to ensure the recipients with an Arts degree could easily understand the message.
It is unclear whether those responsible forgot to take their food home with them or just did not realise that food is perishable. Insider information obtained by Craccum revealed that this crucial lesson is not taught during any Arts course at UoA, but is taught in other faculties such as Science, Fine Arts and Education.
Kitchen users have been asked to keep shared spaces clean, a challenge for those who self-describe their workspace as “an organised mess”. “Please remember that we do not have a cleaning person, so please be considerate and look after each other by keeping our area tidy.” A possible reason for this unusual behaviour is that Arts students are 420% more likely to describe themselves as “messy” and “chaotic.”
The amount of abandoned food could have been worse, if it wasn’t for the large supply of milk used for coffee. Many Arts academics reveal they consume caffeine regularly, which could be another culprit for the poor judgement shown.