Opinion: Campus laundry system shows vast improvement

One year ago, I wrote a story echoing the criticisms of students who were having problems with the dorm laundry system. With the frustrations ranging from an ineffective washer and dryer, to a general lack of convenience regarding the time required for cycles on either machine to run their course, I was ready to accept such an unfortunate circumstance as a con of dorm lifestyle. Despite the current imperfections of the dorm laundry system, however, I find myself pleasantly surprised to say that the improvements made during the previous semester have addressed the more crippling issues of the original system.

On Oct. 9, 2009, my coverage on the then current status of the laundry facilities of the residence halls was published. Supported by student interviews, the criticisms covered every aspect of the flawed system including, but not limited to, the overpricing of the machines, the low capacity of the washers, and the poor effectiveness of the dryers. These severe flaws had me returning home to do laundry or going to one of the off campus laundromats every 2-3 weeks.

Fast forward to the spring 2010 semester and I'm left surprised at the improvements of the overhauled system. The performances of the machines are far better than their predecessors, allowing for a larger capacity of clothes in both. The length of time needed to wash has also been reduced. A new interface keeps the operation of both machines simple as well, with cash cards becoming far easier to add money to, as well as purchase. One of the largest improvements of the system, however, is without a doubt, the dryer, which now contains temperature settings that fully dry clothes within 45 minutes.

I must applaud the acknowledgment of such a broken system by the housing department. Rather than let the complaints keep coming, they have now made living in Residence Halls more tolerable. I wish that the prices for the machines would take a small drop. However, that is a minor complaint in an otherwise significantly more polished laundry system.