In the fall of 2017, the washer and dryer units in each apartment were removed from the Longwood Landings "due to high maintenance costs of keeping the laundry units in the apartments," according to Jean Wilwohl, director of housing.
The communal laundry area serves all of the Landings residents, which is now located next to the new group fitness center in the Midtown Landings, according to Wilwohl.
Associate Vice President of Campus Planning and Construction Louise Waller said,“Coupled with minor damage from things like leaks and fires that could cause damage to the apartments and the real estate below them. It was intended to be a win-win for students and the school, the students would have better maintained units and the school could cut costs."
Maggie Gallaher wrote a petition and her roommate Kir Wachsmann edited it, asking for more units, before pinning it to the door of the washroom where it was signed by 110 students. There was space on the paper for other comments to be written as well, according to Gallaher.
“RCL (Residential and Commuter Life) told me that people don’t put in work orders because they don’t like that maintenance can just come in whenever they want even when nobody is there and so nobody would put in work orders,” she said.
Gallaher and Wachsmann wrote the petition after they noticed that other students seemed to have a number of complaints involving the number of washers and dryers available.
“Students have been rudely moving other student’s clothes while still sopping wet and at times leaving them on the ground or students don’t come down in time to take their clothes," said Gallaher.
The petition was taken down from its location and it's unknown removed it, according to Gallaher.
Both Wilwohl and Waller said they were unaware of the petition.
“Your communication was the first we had heard of a petition,” said Waller.
Wilwohl said they had resolved an issue with one of the units, but RCL wasn't aware of any other maintenance requests.
1.) Do not leave your clothing or laundry items unattended especially in public/shared laundry areas. If you must walk away from your clothing, ask a trusted friend to monitor the items for you. This will allow you to quickly identify machine malfunctions & prevent personal property damage. This will also prevent potential theft.
2.) Use the machines as instructed. That means do not overload washers/dryers, use incorrect types or amounts of laundry chemicals, and/or do not wash/dry prohibited items. For your convenience, there are instructional signs in the laundry areas.
3.) Report any lost/stolen personal items to RCL staff and/or LUPD immediately. Do not delay. All reports will be investigated. Any party found responsible for theft will be subject to Conduct & Integrity as well as criminal charges.
4.) Use the sticker on the machines to report any broken laundry equipment. Also, report any broken machines to RCL staff immediately.
5.) Log into the Lancer Card management page & click “Laundry” to easily view which machines are available, wait times, etc. You can also receive text/e-mail alerts about your laundry and/or available machines. This will save your time & make your laundry experience much more efficient.
6.) If you experience any concerning personal interactions in the laundry areas, report them immediately to building staff and/or LUPD. You can also use the LiveSafe app to report any matters to the police discreetly, quickly, & easily from your mobile device phone.
7.) Do not allow others to enter the laundry room without properly swiping their Lancer Card. Do not prop open the doors or hold the doors open for others to enter unless you know that resident. This will prevent non-Longwood students or other unauthorized parties from entering the laundry facility. If an unauthorized party enters the laundry facility, report the matter to RCL staff and/or LUPD immediately.
In response to the petition, all Longwood Landings residents received an email from Residence Education Coordinator Mary Winn on Feb. 9 recognizing the issues surrounding the laundry machines and the existence of a petition but added, "I’m sad to say that it will not change anything."
In the same Feb. 9 email, Winn detailed several tips to try to alleviate some of the concerns brought up regarding the laundry room. The email advised students not to leave their laundry unattended, avoid overloading the machines and to report any malfunctions immediately. It was also encouraged not to allow any unfamiliar people to enter the laundry room without scanning their Lancer Cards to limit chances for theft.
Gallaher said, “I don’t hate RCL and I understand why they did what they did, but there is a problem with too few washers and dryers and it needs to be fixed."
Wilwohl said, “We want students to feel as if they can come to their respective offices with complaints. We are typically quick to respond to issues when we hear about them.”
Waller said she wanted students to know her office is open to hearing about student concerns.