Medics deprived of clean undies
Washing facilities for residents of Wilson House will be temporarily out of action, starting from 3rd February. The installation of new machines is expected to take approximately a month. Meanwhile, residents have been advised to make alternative arrangements.
The current contract was ended when the company from which the machines were hired withdrew their support and maintenance services. Due to their old age, the current machines break down frequently and have to be repaired on a regular basis. The eight new machines and tumble dryers shortly to be installed will double the capacity of the current washroom.
Speaking to Felix, Head of Accommodation Sharine Brown acknowledged the enormous inconvenience to students that this change will cause. Plans to provide a limited number of in-house machines during the transition period are under consideration, and the College will offer affected students a refund to cover washing expenses. Recognising that some students might find the level of refund insufficient, Ms Brown claimed she would be prepared to discuss this matter with those concerned on an individual basis.
Another concern of Wilson House residents has been the lack of a freezer in each kitchen, contrary to the description given in the Residents’ Handbook. Ms Brown admitted that it would be impossible to equip every kitchen with its own freezer by the end of this year due to a lack of funding, but went on to point out that a new freezer had recently been purchased, and it would only be a matter of time before the promise was fulfilled.
Residents have also expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of shower provision. When confronted with reports suggesting that in some houses up to fifteen people have to share one shower, Ms Brown recounted the difficulties involved in fitting new showers over the existing baths. "Everything has to be watertight, which means that tiles have to be secured and the bath resealed. This had been done in other halls before, and poor workmanship led to the collapse of the ceiling and water leaking badly all over the floor. There is also the problem of getting the mix of water right at the tap." A new shower has been installed in one house, which serves as a trial for all future developments.
Also high on the agenda for Wilson House is the need to improve security. Current suggestions include the installation of a swipe card system and closed-circuit camera surveillance. Officials are currently assessing the cost of improvements, with 24 hour security provision, by far the most expensive option, still considered a possibility. Mrs Brown refuted suggestions that provisions such as washing up liquids and kitchen towels have been withdrawn in order to fund new security equipment, explaining that these measures were taken merely to bring Wilson House in line with all other halls of residence of Imperial College.
