Passed by: Senedd
Passed on: 29/04/2024
Policy lapses: 29/04/2027
Status: We are working on it
Officer Responsible: Wellbeing
Details
This appeal requests Aberystwyth University's University Council to make laundry services free for on-campus residents, emphasizing the impact on student wellbeing, financial strain, and the university's commitment to inclusivity and student satisfaction.
Aberystwyth University has rightfully earned a reputation for being a student-first institution, consistently ranking number one in student satisfaction. However, we, the undersigned students, have observed setbacks in addressing student concerns, particularly related to living conditions. We are proud to be members of this institution and would like to reinforce the university's commitment to student wellbeing and satisfaction, but believe it or not, laundry services on campus is standing in the way of that.
In order to preserve a supporting living environment, we ask that laundry services be made free. Being residents on campus, we should be entitled to free laundry as part of our accommodation fees. The current fees are grossly higher than what you find in town or in other universities. In fact, a lot of other universities have free laundry for their students anyway.
This erases the burden it has on students from low-income families, or those dependent on scholarships and financial aid to study. Financial integrity falls under the category of inclusivity that Aberystwyth University is constantly promoting, and changing the laundry services would count as meeting the students’ needs.
To showcase just how important laundry is, consider how it affects a student’s day to day wellbeing. Students have often found themselves skipping meals and/or cancelling social plans in order to schedule laundry in because of its expenses, or drag out how long they can keep on wearing dirty clothes; this burden would be cut down immensely if one felt that they could do laundry anytime because it was free.
Clean clothes is integral to a student's sense of dignity and self-worth. It shouldn’t have to control when they can eat, socialise, and engage in various activities based on the availability of clean clothes and the financial resources to cover laundry costs. Making laundry free should be considered as an investment in the mental, emotional, and social wellbeing of the student body.
We respectfully request your consideration of this proposal and hope that Aberystwyth University continues to lead by example in placing students at the forefront of its priorities. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Submitted By: Nadia Benjelloun
Amendment
If the Aberystwyth Univesity’s University Council fails to agree to implement Free Laundry Services for Full-Time Residents, the Student Union should lobby that Circuit Laundry, as the main provider of laundry services, be changed to a more ethical and low-cost (but good quality) option for students.
The University is under considerable financial strain and will have to find savings in many areas of University life. There could be unintended consequences of implementing free laundry services on campus, and this might include raising accommodation costs putting even more financial hardship on students.
Therefore I propose as a compromise that Circuit Launderette Services LTD should be discontinued as the provider of laundry services at Aberystwyth University. And instead, a more ethical and low-cost (but good quality) launderette service should be introduced.
Anyone who has lived in student accommodation on campus has experienced the bad quality of service that Circuit Laundry ‘provides’. These range from clothes not being washed properly, clothes not being dried properly or the complexity and failure of the Laundry card or app! In addition, as the idea mentions, the cost of washing and drying is extreme. The customer service is terrible. And don’t try to get your money back as refunds on unused credit on top-up cards cost a £3 admin fee, and you can’t get anything back if it’s under £5.
These issues are not unique to Aberystwyth and many Universities across the UK are turning the tide on Circuit and switching to a better system. Let’s make sure that we get the best quality service that we deserve here in Aberystwyth and that this service is either free or as low-cost as possible.
Submitted by: Cai Phillips
Updates
| Actions Taken |
Name and Role |
Date |
| The Union has explored this idea; however, due to financial pressures and contractual obligations, it may not be feasible to proceed. Replacing all the washing machines would require significant funds, as they are owned by Circuit Laundry, making this change currently unaffordable. Instead, we can look into advocating for a feature within the app that allows students to receive refunds for unused funds, rather than having the remaining balance retained as profit. |
Wellbeing Officer 2024-2025 |
November 2024 |
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