POTTY PROGRESS

Most people would agree that privacy is a factor of great importance when using the restroom. Things that aren’t normally exposed are exposed and, because of privacy, security cameras can’t be implemented as a means to help keep people safe while in a public restroom. 

Rho Theta, MHCC’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, took notice of this issue and began a project to correct it last year. This project was dubbed “The Potty Project.” Its purpose was to raise funds to create single-user restrooms on campus. 

The chapter carried this out by raising awareness of the issues people face with public restrooms, whether it be gender issues, having an opposite-sex care provider, or just not feeling safe. Over the past year, the focus of the project has been on what students felt was needed regarding restrooms on campus. Several times, Rho Theta has held a table outside the restrooms in the Main Mall (displays of Rho Theta’s Golden Toilet included) to help publicize their effort.

Of course, as with most projects, there are challenges to accomplishing the end goal. In this case, the main problem is that creating single-user restrooms is too costly. In light of this, the current goal is to convert the women’s restroom near the cosmetology salon, off the Main Mall courtyard, into an all-user restroom.

Rho Theta is working with Dave Pontious, a chair of the MHCC Access and Diversity Council, to purchase and install taller, “non-gap” stall partitions in this restroom. The biggest clog in the drain is that these partitions cost roughly $5,000. To plunge this blockage, the student group plans to between $10,000 and $15,000.

Formal fundraising hasn’t begun yet, since officials are still estimating costs. Initial planing, back in 2012, for a fully new restroom put the cost at  $50,000. Some proceeds will be raised shortly, however, since Nancy’s Floral will donate all proceeds of commencement day flower sales on the Mt. Hood campus on June 15. Flowers may be purchased with cash or check.

If all goes as planned, this all-user restroom would be up and running by December – perhaps as Rho Theta’s Christmas present to MHCC, and students, staff and visitors here.