When the University announced its plan to furnish senior woodframe houses, the administration was met with disapproval, confusion, and praise. Among the less approving are current seniors, who must figure out what to do with their rooms full of furniture.
Traditionally, woodframe houses have been unfurnished by the University, rendering senior residents responsible for furnishing their houses. In the past, graduating seniors have sold their furniture to rising seniors. Now that the University will be furnishing its senior houses, however, the class of 2006 must find a way to get rid of their furniture before graduation.
Thomas Phillips ’06, who said finding furniture for his house was a “rag tag process,” suggested that seniors usually don’t give all their furniture to the next year’s tenants. Several seniors, however, said they received a majority of their furniture from the previous tenants.
“We got all our [living room] furniture for like 100 bucks,” said Lisa Eisenberg ’06.
Nyasha Foy ’06 said that last year’s seniors were able to pass their furniture to her.
“[The last tenants] left bookshelves,” Foy said. “I got my bed for like a hundred dollars. I bought it from the girl who lived in my house last year.”
Darron Moodie ’06 has no plans for getting rid of his furniture.
“I’m gonna get a U-Haul and take my stuff with me,” Moodie said.
Moodie also said he intended to use the furniture he had bought for more than one year.
“I can replace my stuff at home with what I got now,” Moodie said. “I made investments in this. All your stuff should be reusable.”
Foy expressed ambivalence about the University’s plan to furnish woodframe houses. She said that although the policy might eliminate some cost to the students, the furniture itself is not likely to be appealing.
“On the flip side, is that the kind of furniture you want in your room?” Foy said.
Several students were uncertain about what the University would be covering, suggesting that, though they were more than willing to allow the University to absorb some of the cost, they were happy to pay for furniture that helped to personalize their space.
“If [the University] is gonna pay for couches and stuff, then that would be good,” said Tali Biale ’07.
Biale said that the University’s plan to furnish the woodframes would be good for people who do not have cars, though she thought that furnishing one’s own house would also be a nice option to personalize the space.
Foy also said that she would be happy for the University to pay for some furniture, though she enjoyed picking out furniture for her own room.
“If they were willing to provide a kitchen set, then that would be nice,” Foy said. “One of the joys of senior woodframe housing is that you have the ability to make your own choices. To make it from your own junk. I got to make my own [personal] room, my own choice. That’s what’s gonna happen when you move into an apartment.”
According to a statement on its website, ResLife will provide seniors living in woodframe houses with beds, dressers, bookscases, and chairs for their bedrooms. Common area furniture will include a couch, chair, coffee table and end table; kitchens will include a kitchen table and four chairs.
The fee increase for woodframe furniture was originally reported to be $100, but it appears that it will instead be $175. The previously reported $100 increase stemmed from a miscommunication with the office of Financial Aid.
To help seniors sell the furniture from their woodframes, the University has proposed a tag sale for the morning of Saturday, May 20, from 9-12 p.m.
The tag sale may be a way for seniors to make some money of their furniture, since they will not be able to sell it to juniors, as they have done in the past.
Foy said that no matter what happens, some stuff is not leaving campus with her.
“My desk is really heavy,” she said. “So if I’m not able to sell it, I’m not taking it with me.”
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