While I agree chalking is a good way to exercise one’s freedom of speech and a great way to advertise, the two letters to the editor I’ve read over this past week have been one-sided. They worried about increasing the bureaucracy of the University by adding a chalking policy and a decreased freedom of speech. What about the other side?

When people chalk on the sidewalk it washes away with the weather, but when they chalk on the sides of buildings, weather needs to be replaced by the University’s facilities staff and a water hose. Why should they spend their time cleaning up someone else’s mess?

If people would chalk a little bit more respectfully of the University’s facility staff, we wouldn’t need to be discussing a chalking policy at this time. Please be mindful of where you chalk and just don’t do it where someone is going to have to come and clean up after you.