Somewhere between finding the impossible quarter and a general collegiate sense of apathy, students may neglect laundry until their drawers and closets have become completely barren. Beginning this semester, however, Sunday laundry blues will be no more.

The Offices of Residential Life and Student Affairs have initiated a free laundry program for the residence halls.

Craig Beebe, director of Residential Life, said this change was an “easy decision.” Conversations about free laundry started years ago after students responded positively to the idea, he said.

“Students can now bypass searching for quarters or having to worry about the change machines being out of order or not accepting their money,” said Michael Morin, Student Government Association president and music education senior. “The machines in the residence halls are the same, but rather than the prompt screen to add quarters to start them, they are blank and students can simply put their laundry in, select a wash mode and wash their laundry.”

SGA and Residential Life do not anticipate any future troubles with the new program.

“In my opinion, it will resolve more issues for students than it creates,” Morin said.

It also hopes to resolve issues related to the change machine in each residential hall.

“The most common problem presented by students in the Residential Life office was that our change machines were often out of quarters; this new system resolves that problem,” Beebe said.

The laundry rooms have also been updated with new technology.

“LaundryView allows students to check the status of their laundry in real time via the Web,” Morin said. “Students may now schedule text alerts when laundry is done and check availability of machines from the comfort of their own rooms or anywhere that they have Internet access.”

Although this new program seems to rid students partially of financial woes, it does not come without a price.

“The increase in tuition and room and board allows for an initiative like this, since the Student Affairs and Residential Life budgets have now increased,” Morin said.

Though the laundry initiative may seem positive, some students see increased tuition as an issue, including Lizzie McCollom, psychology sophomore.

“I think free laundry will ease some burden from students, but at the same time tuition increases every year, so I don’t think free laundry really seems so ‘free,’ nor will it make up for the struggle to make ends meet to pay tuition,” McCollom said.

Alex Ward can be reached at [email protected]