According to complaints from Oak and Maple halls’ freshman residents, common-area furniture is falling apart.
Freshman Maple resident Thomas Park described the common area sofas as having holes everywhere. Park said the rest of Maple was in OK condition, though he said the lounge furniture needed to be replaced.
“It doesn’t make me want to go to the lobby. It makes me want to stay in my room where there are things that I can sit on without worrying about breaking,” said Park.
Freshman Oak resident Mitchell Neiderhiser said that the main lobby in Oak looks almost new, however, the basement area is riddled with broken chairs and is void of couches.
“I rarely see people down there,” said Neiderhiser.
The goal of common area furniture, according to student government Housing Committee Chair Steven Torquato, is to create a community environment.
“By having furniture out in the lobby, it allows students to congregate.”
Director of Housing Mark Dougherty said that furniture was replaced in Laurel and Oak halls last year, and that the Housing workers will replace any dilapidated furniture, but other housing needs have stalled formal talks to replace old furniture.
Freshman senator Emily Platania mirrored Dougherty’s sentiments, and said the issue of freshman furniture is low on a priority list. According to her, the issue lies after the nursing building and refurbishing the Living/Learning Center and upperclassmen apartments. A Krebs remodel also is higher on the list.
“It probably won’t get done this year,” said Platania.
Platania said that Housing Office administrators planned on seeing whether furniture could be salvaged from other remodeling projects, and distributed among freshman halls.
“The school does provide a lot for us,” she said, “but I wouldn’t want to sit on some of that furniture.
Regarding the funds needed to replace aged furniture, Dougherty said that the money would come from the Housing budget, and that housing will look at what money is available.
Hickory, Laurel or Hemlock Hall Resident Directors have not reported damaged furniture.