When Eric Huang returned to campus Sept. 19, he wanted to start the year with clean clothes.
The McCormick sophomore headed to the Foster-Walker Complex laundry room and tossed a few dirty shirts in a washer. He plunked in his three quarters and selected the wash cycle.
Nothing happened.
“I was like, ‘What the hell?'” he said. “I had to ask someone for (another) quarter.”
As Huang discovered, students need some extra change for laundry this fall. Washing and drying a load now using cash costs a dollar per cycle — a quarter more than the 75-cent price last year.
The increase is the first time that the laundry fee has changed in 10 years.
“We work very hard to avoid raising fees,” wrote Garth Miller, director of university housing and food services, in an e-mail to The Daily. “Considering the ever-increasing cost of utilities over that same period, this is a very reasonable adjustment.
“Over the last two years, all the washers and dryers on campus have been replaced with new models, which will be more reliable for students in residence halls,” he wrote.
But the price hike leaves many students scrambling for quarters.
“It’s much more inconvenient because it costs a dollar a load now and it doesn’t accept dollar bills,”said Shannon Gunstream, a McCormick sophomore.
Other students are debating the necessity of washing clothes.
“I’m really thinking about whether I need to wash something before (do) I wash it,” Huang said.
Although many returning students may have noticed the higher prices, most freshmen remain blissfully unaware of the increase.
“Most of the freshmen don’t know any different,” said Bobb Hall President Matt Rosenthal, a Communication sophomore. “It’s mostly (my friends and me) just commiserating that the price has gone up for yet another thing on campus.”
But Medill freshman Ashima Singal, a McCulloch Hall resident, acknowledged her laundry’s fee as she sat waiting for clothes to dry Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s crazy,” she said. “I’m doing two loads right now and it costs four dollars. The laundromats are a lot cheaper.”
Regardless, Singal said doing laundry in the dorms is simply more convenient — whatever the price.
“It’s too inconvenient to drag all of your laundry all the way to the ‘mat,” she said.
College Cleaners, 813 Noyes Street, will wash, dry and fold clothes for $1 per pound.
Despite the dorm’s price hike, Miller noted that students can anticipate a “free wash” day later this quarter. During that day, to be announced soon, all machines will operate free of charge.
But for now Communication freshman Justine Wardrop has found a way to avoid the one-dollar price at Elder Hall.
“You have to put in one dollar of quarters, but when you use your WildCARD you only use 75 cents,” she said.
While many students have lamented the higher prices, others pointed out that the increase isn’t significant.
“It’s a lot more than other places charge, but it’s 50 cents (more) for a load of laundry,” said Education junior Marisa Ketzler. “It’s not like it’s going to break anyone’s pocketbook.”
