On the morning of Thursday, November 15, students received an email from the Office of Residential Education and Living (REAL) about health and safety checks of rooms that are scheduled to occur over Thanksgiving break. The email explains that the reasons for these checks are to “ensure that we are being good stewards of our spaces and to help conserve energy during the time the spaces will not be in use.” In order to pass inspections, students must perform the following before they leave campus for break:
– Turn off all lights and water
– Unplug all electrical items – except fish tanks and fridges
– Pack any items that you may need during break
– Remove all perishable foods from your fridge and room
– Remove all trash from room (and bathroom, if applicable)
– Make sure your room is clean (do not leave items on floor)
– Make sure bathroom is thoroughly cleaned (if applicable)
– Make sure screens are securely placed in windows
– Make sure all windows are completely closed and locked
– Make sure all items are at least six inches from the radiator
– Submit maintenance requests on-line
– Turn room heat down to 60 degrees (if applicable)
– Lock your room door(s)
In a conversation with Colleen Bunn, the area coordinator for South Campus, she explained that health and safety checks are typically done at Winter and Spring break but this is the first time they will be conducted during the Thanksgiving break. The inspections will be done in pairs by housefellows, floor governors, and independent living coordinators. Bunn went on the explain that failing to “close” properly will only result in a warning for the student but will not cause any other consequences. Like the Winter and Spring break health and safety checks though, any violations of the college policy that are found in someone’s room will be “documented and handled accordingly.” The intent of this new policy appears to hold several positive aspects; allowing new students the chance to experience “closing procedures” before they really count during the five-week Winter break. As a result, if more people properly “close” their rooms, this will hopefully cut down on the work for house staff during Winter break checks. However, there are several troubling aspects of the requirements of the health and safety checks and the ways in which they were delivered.
Upon hearing that apartment style living spaces will also be subjected to the same checks as dorm rooms, several Winchester resident were upset by the requirement to remove all perishable food from their refrigerators and rooms. One resident explained, “I will not throw out perishable food that will stay good over the break. I live on this food and I am not going to throw my money away just because of an arbitrary new rule.” While it is simply common sense to throw away the Two Wives pizza that has been sitting on your desk for the last week, it seems strange that apartments should have to throw away all perishable food for a mere four day break. Will that bunch of green bananas you bought really be so bad over Thanksgiving that they will cause health code violation upon your return? I think not. While this policy makes sense when residence halls are abandoned for a month, our fridges are staying plugged in for this break; it simply doesn’t make sense to remove all the food from them.
If this portion of the health and safety check wasn’t upsetting to most students, the requirement of “making sure your room is clean, with nothing on the floor,” caused a commotion among many. Several dorm dwellers felt infantilized by being told to pack what they needed for break and to pick up after themselves. One resident of Larrabee was outspoken about this latter tenant of the health and safety checks saying, “In general, most of the policies makes sense. There is no reason to have our electronics plugged in and draining power when no one is here. However, I find it very patronizing of the REAL staff to tell me to pick up my room.” House staff as well were dismayed by the health and safety checks. One housefellow explained, “I am appreciative of the commitment the REAL office has to making our residence hall communities safe and healthy and understand in part why some aspects of the check are in place, [but] it is difficult to uphold a policy that many residents disagree with and resent.”
In the end I feel it boils down to a matter of respect. I’m twenty years old. I don’t need to be reminded to clean my room…if I want to leave a pile of laundry on the floor while I’m gone, that should be my prerogative. At the same time, I have enough appreciation for my dorm and my house staff to adhere to all the of the health and safety standards so they can do their checks more quickly and get home for the break. Next time, have a little bit more faith in us as a student body and there will be more cooperation. •
