By Antonio Machado Staff Writer As of Fall 2024, laundry charges in residence halls are now included in the tuition and fees each student pays. The Massachusetts State College Building Authority, which oversees residence halls in the nine state universities, decided not to renew its contract with CSC SystemWorks, the previous laundry machine vendor, and instead pursued a new laundry provider, Fowler Laundry Solutions, said Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life Glenn Cochran. With the change in laundry companies, all of the state universities now provide free laundry to resident students. “We were all able to get more favorable financial terms by having the system all go that way,” Cochran said. Cochran said 89 new washers and dryers were installed throughout the residence halls. “They did a wholesale swap out over the summer and took out all the old machines and put in new ones - the new machines look nice and like they were installed well,” he said. Cochran said he has confidence in the new laundry company and the number of new machines. “There are industry standards on the ratio of users to machines, and we’re well within the range as long as the machines are used only by residents,” he said. Framingham State now pays annually for the laundry services, which are covered by student housing fees. "We get charged $41,000 for the free laundry, and then that’s paid for out of rent, so it factors in the cost of housing," Cochran said. “When you consider the number of residents we have and the cost per person, it feels like it's cheaper for people in general. “Last year, we made $22,000 revenue in laundry. This year, we’re paying out $41,000 in expenses for laundry, so it is a $60,000 swing,” he said. Cochran is satisfied despite the financial swing, stating, “I am happy. I think it is working out well, and it also makes it so people aren’t carrying big, huge baskets of laundry home on weekends, which is such a hassle and not a pleasurable experience.” The machines and laundry app are all under the direct jurisdiction of Fowler, so when a machine breaks down, students should report the issue directly to them. “There should be a phone number or a QR code that could be used, but there are instructions on how to report it in each of the rooms,” said Cochran. Students who face issues with using the app to report a broken machine should report that directly to Residence Life, said Cochran. Althea Norcross, a sophomore, is excited about the new payment system. “I love it so much! Last year, I used to have to go home and do laundry there, but now I can just stay here. It has saved me so much time and money on gas,” she said. Freshman Cristela Cean said, “It’s not totally free because it’s still included in our tuition, but it’s nice. It’s definitely much cheaper than paying every time.” Sophomore Yisel Bedoya said she was pleased by no longer having to use quarters to do laundry. “Not everyone can afford to pay for laundry on a weekly basis, and we already pay quite a bit for dorming, so I think it’s nice to not have that small expense that adds up over time,” she said. “I used to go home to wash my laundry because it was cheaper to do so, so I didn’t feel any need to do it here. Having it in the building is such a convenience because I don’t have to go the extra mile to get it done,” she added. Seniors Liv Florestal and Sasha Charmant shared their enthusiasm for the improvements to laundry services on campus. Florestal said, “The machines would eat up coins and I’d constantly lose money. You’d pay for a wash and the clothes would come back soaked but not cleaned. “Whenever I’d go home, I’d bring a huge bucket of laundry with me because it was just more convenient,” Florestal added. “Laundry was always free at Bridgewater [State University]. It felt like such a blessing. It’s so good that it’s free now,” Florestal said. Charmant said, “There’s already enough stress going on for college students. Why should we need to stress about money to do laundry?”