University of Virginia Library

THE Reasons

Traditionally, the reasons presented
by the Housing Office for
refusing to allow refrigerators have
been 1) threat the electrical systems
in the dorms could not carry the
extra load, 2) that refrigerators and
the accompanying food, would attract
insects, creating a health hazard,
and 3) there were no means of
properly disposing of waste food.
Logical reasons, at first glance, but
they have all been refuted many
times in the past. Modern dormitory
refrigerators use only 50-70
watts (less than the normal desk
lamp); and students already keep
food in their rooms, with or without
refrigerators while food is less
likely to attract insects when sealed
in a refrigerator. Finally, the disposal
problem is solved simply by
providing plastic liners for trash
cans.

Of course these points have all
been proven in the past; at the
present time the Housing Office
accepts this point of view, so it
need not be discussed further.

Last winter the Alderman Legislative
Council, under the presidency
of Richard Lunglhofer, concluded
some two years of research and
effort in the area of refrigerators by
preparing a plan very similar to
what is now about to be adopted.
That proposal would have given the
University Food Service the concession
for renting small, portable
refrigerators to be purchased from
University Products, Inc., at a cost
of four dollars per month. A fee of
$1.50 was to have been assessed by
the Housing Department to cover
additional costs in electricity, maid
service, and plastic garbage bags.