[lorend]

VIA MSU News:

One week ago, students moving into a McMaster University residence in the upcoming school year received notice of a new policy to be implemented this September 2010, limiting the use of refrigerators in residence rooms (for the notice sent to students, please see below). The policy restricts students from bringing their previously purchased refrigerators into residence, allowing only refrigerators rented from Coldex, (on an eight month term) and only one fridge will be permitted per room. The stated intent of this new policy is an effort to provide “a safe and healthy living environment in residence and contributes to the University’s sustainability efforts”.

The McMaster Students Union (MSU) and the Inter-Residence Council (IRC) believe that this is an unacceptable policy given the last minute timing of its release. Many students have already purchased or otherwise acquired a fridge to use during their time in residence. We have registered our disappointment with Housing and Conference Services. We have also suggested alternative solutions to Housing and Conference Services that we believe would address concerns on both the sustainability and cleanliness fronts. We strongly believe our suggestions are in the best interests of both students and the University. We look forward to an opportunity to sit down with individuals at Housing and Conference Services to discuss our reservations about their new policy and we will provide the student body with updates on the MSU website as we proceed.

For more information, please conatct:
John McIntyre
VP (Administration)
[email protected] ca
905-525-9140 ext. 23250


Sent to all incoming residence students:
EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 2010, RESIDENCE STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BRING PERSONAL REFRIGERATORS INTO THE RESIDENCE BUILDINGS. STUDENTS INTERESTED IN HAVING A REFRIGERATOR IN THEIR ROOM CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE UNIVERSITY’S CONTRACTOR COLDEX, FOR RENTAL OF A 3 OR 5 CUBIC FOOT REFRIGERATOR DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR.
THIS POLICY ENSURES ALL REFRIGERATORS ENTERING THE RESIDENCE BUILDINGS ARE PROPERLY CLEANED, ENERGY EFFICIENT AND IN GOOD WORKING ORDER: THIS ASSISTS THE UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDING A SAFE AND HEALTHY LIVING ENVIRONMENT IN RESIDENCE AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE UNIVERSITY’S SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS.

PLEASE NOTE:

• BUNK AND LOFT ROOMS ARE PROVIDED A REFRIGERATOR
• ONLY ONE REFRIGERATOR IS PERMITTED PER BEDROOM
• APARTMENT AND SUITE UNITS CONTAIN A FULL SIZED REFRIGERATOR IN THE KITCHEN AREA
• TRADITIONAL-STYLE RESIDENCES HAVE KITCHEN FACILITIES ON EACH FLOOR, WHERE A FULL-SIZED REFRIGERATOR IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR USE.

MOVE-IN:

• IF YOU MAKE ARRANGEMENTS IN ADVANCE WITH COLDEX, YOUR REFRIGERATOR WILL BE IN YOUR ROOM AT MOVE-IN; COLDEX WILL RETURN AT THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR AND RETRIEVE THE UNIT. IT’S THAT SIMPLE!
• AS PERSONAL REFRIGERATORS ARE NOT PERMITTED, IF YOU BRING ONE AT MOVE-IN, IT WILL NOT BE UNLOADED AND YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SEND IT HOME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
HOUSING & CONFERENCE SERVICES APPRECIATES YOUR COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING AS WE WORK TOWARDS PROVIDING A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOU, WHILE ALSO SETTING RESPONSIBLE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.

FINALLLY!!! It was about time for the MSU to do its job of actually representing the interests of students. I am shocked!!

Has there been any reply from Housing?

Originally Posted by gholitf

FINALLLY!!! It was about time for the MSU to do its job of actually representing the interests of students. I am shocked!!

To be honest, this is more of an IRC issue so props to the MSU for stepping up when they don't necessarily have to.

Yay for student unions and councils that represent students' interests!

I appreciate the props Nicole, and although Residence Students are a specific group of McMaster Undergraduate Students, the MSU should still be representing their interests. This is an issue important to a large population of students and so we will doing our best, working with the IRC to address the situation.

We do have a meeting this week with Housing and Conference Services coming up. We will continue to keep everyone posted.

Maybe because they already know its done, they are trying to show they don't like it to win the student's popularity