Students are frustrated by the laundry machines not working correctly in Walker Hall dormitory.
Students have reported the laundry machines in Walker often leave clothes wet and leak, leaving puddles of water on the floor. Students also have reported the dryers are cold and don’t dry clothes, requiring multiple cycles.
Colton Tompkins, film freshman and Walker Hall resident, said he thinks the washers are run down.
“I think it’s probably just because the washers are really old, and I don’t think they do maintenance on them very frequently,” he said.
Tompkins also said students avoid doing their laundry in Walker due to the mechanical issues.
“They’ll go home and take their laundry and just do it at home,” he said. “I wouldn’t do it because I live 45 minutes away, but like if some kids are going home—like even some people who live in Tulsa—if they are going home anyway, they’ll just save up their laundry and do it at home.”
Allie McMurry, religious education freshman, said there is mold in most of the washers.
“They all smell bad; they all have mold in them,” she said. “You can see it if you open the door and look in them.”
Hailey Bradshaw, film freshman and Walker Hall resident, said washers build up water and don’t drain.
“They are too wet, they do not drain at all. So when you go to open it, the water just floods out,” she said. “And so there are puddles on the ground, and then if you drop your clothes on the ground, they’re wet.”
Bradshaw said students started putting sticky notes on the dryers, giving reviews on whether or not they work.
“We’ve been putting sticky notes all over the washers and dryers, saying, ‘this one’s cold, this one doesn’t work, this one won’t drain,’” she said.
Tompkins said none of the students he knows of have put in work orders.
“I don’t know if anybody complains to people that can fix it, though,” he said. “It’s not any one student’s responsibility, like in their room, so I don’t think anyone complains to anyone that can fix it.”
Casey Kreger, director of housing and residence life, said he is aware of the issues regarding the laundry machines in Walker.
“I was made aware of the issues last week from the OCU page that I am actively on and I actively respond to students,” he said. “Those concerns in Walker were addressed because a guy came up the next day.”
Kreger said most of the problems were due to maintenance issues with the machinery or student mistreatment of the machines.
“The issues have to do with how much you load into the machine, or you’re overloading the machine, or some students take Tide Pods and they’ll shove them in the soap dispenser, where you’re supposed to just throw them into the washer. So the machine will get clogged up,” he said.
Kreger said housing officials are going to try to post tutorial pamphlets in the laundry room on how to wash clothes properly to prevent operator errors with the machines.
“Especially in freshman halls, next year, we’re trying to be proactive on the residence life side, so when students get here in the first few weeks, we’ll have programs about laundry and how to do your clothes properly, because not all parents or guardians show their kids how to do that,” he said.
If students see any maintenance problems, they should put in work orders, Kreger said.
“Nothing is worse than hearing an issue, and it’s like, ‘it’s been like this for four months.’ Well, I’m sorry, but you should have let us know,” he said.
If any students notice any maintenance issues, they may go to okcu.edu/campus/residencelife/current-residents/work-order and follow instructions there on how to put in a work order.
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