If anyone went to the meeting for the townhouses and apartments last week you’re probably still trying to figure out why the couches the school supplies us with cost $1,000 to replace.
There are a lot of factors to consider.
Gary Stephenson, director of housing operations, said first of all that the couches actually only cost $850. Phew!
But one of the reasons for the seemingly high price is that if college students are going to be partying with the couches year after year they have to be extra sturdy. All of the cushions are actually bolted to the wood frame, and these extra precautions cost extra money.
Another factor is that the school does not have the luxury of shopping around the country for the cheapest supplier. The furniture has to come from somewhere relatively close to Fairfield, and this diminishes options as well.
Stephenson said the costs of charges applied to students at the end of the year come straight from Campus Planning and Design. He said they are based on the cost of time, if necessary, for maintenance people to fix damages as well as for the material involved.
“We don’t build in anything other than what it cost us,” he said.
The costs stated are for brand new materials. For example if there was a new couch that was ruined it would be the full $850. But if it was three or four years old the depreciation in value is taken into consideration.
Some of the most common things students get charged for include screen replacement, $50, general room cleaning, $50, and paint touch ups, which vary in cost depending on how much is needed.
One charge that continues to stump students is the $25 fee for each item left in a room, house or apartment.
“That charge is aimed at being respectful to people that have to go in there and clean the room,” said Stephenson. “But we try to weigh [the reason it was left] because the student has a right to be treated fairly as well.”
Some advice Stephenson had for students was to fill out their RIF forms and add an attached sheet with anything the R.A. or townhouse manager missed. When you sign it, write next to it to see the attached, in case anything gets misplaced.
There is a list available from Housing Operations with all of the cleaning and damages prices for the residence halls, townhouses and apartments in case anyone is interested. Some of the other costs include mattresses, $110, phone jack, $27, cable outlet, $25 and desk, $250. The list includes a break down of material costs as well as labor costs.
“Students think the university just wants to get more money,” said Stephenson, “but we have to be fair and attentive, that’s not the message we want to send.”
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