Coto, a 63 year-old Pittsburg native, began his career as a maintenance worker at RWU in 1971, when its name was Roger Williams College. After his four-year tour in the Navy ended in Newport, Rhode Island, Coto sought work locally before returning home to Pittsburg. On the day he was preparing to make the drive south back home, Coto secured a job at the Bristol college.
What kept Coto at the college over the years was his ability to interact with the students. “I like the atmosphere of a university, of dealing with younger people,” Coto said. “I like imparting the knowledge that I have to others.”
Teaching was something Coto said he found at a young age to be rewarding. Coto’s talent at the high jump on his high school’s track and field team earned him a coaching position, teaching his teammates.
“I saw success at that. I saw guys improve,” Coto said. “And it didn’t matter what school they were from. I got in trouble with the guys from my own team for helping someone from another school. But I liked doing it.”
Though his career led him away from coaching, Coto enjoys being able to help students with his work.
“I find them always refreshing and it has a tendency of keeping you young,” Coto said. “Students have brightness and a glow about their life I find encouraging and refreshing.”
Over the past 38 years, Coto has seen changes in the student body. Coto said that students are less socially active than their predecessors. In 1974, students picketed in front of the administration building, protesting the impending firing of two beloved professors. The students’ demonstration helped convince the administration to keep the professors employed, Coto said.
Activism like this was a product of the national social climate in the Vietnam War era, Coto said. “What I find today is that students know what is going on, but they have a tendency to not act on it,” Coto said.
Coto said he sees the students’ social culture differ each year.
“Each class of students has their own personality. You can watch changes in how they meld together as a group,” Coto said. “You can get a class that is very destructive, or you can get a class that works very well with [maintenance workers’] duties on campus.”
Positive change is not out of the question for today’s students, Coto said. He cited the students living in Maple dormitory 20 years ago who decided to clean and care for their own living space, rendering the services of the maintenance staff unnecessary.
“If you have somebody that doesn’t particularly want to go along with it, but everyone else is going along with the environment that you have, that person will follow suit,” Coto said. “If you don’t like to pick up your stuff and everyone else is picking their stuff up, then the pressure is that you start picking your stuff up and cleaning up after yourself … they proved that that can work. But you have to have a whole group of them wanting to do this.
“It’s the same with those students who want to excel, who surround themselves with people who are productive,” Coto said. “Consequently, their college life ends up becoming something they can use in our society today. It’s a good start, and to me, after having a good start like that, it lasts.”
Though the most senior member of his department, Coto has no plans for retirement. “I like doing my work. And if my health allows me to keep busy, I’d like to continue to keep busy,” Coto said.
To his colleagues seeking his coveted senior position, Coto takes pride in delivering his prepared response.
“I ask them what year they are going to retire. Then I tell them I’ll retire two days before that.”
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