Sydney Martinez, Campus Carrier opinions editor
It is said that Berry College is one of the most beautiful campuses to exist. Among students, it is also well known that Morgan, Deerfield, Centennial and Thomas Berry are the nicer residence halls. While Morgan and Deerfield may not have their own bathrooms, their buildings are newer and show very little wear. Additionally, they have large kitchens that can accommodate many students. Centennial and Thomas Berry rooms have their own bathrooms and kitchens.
On the other hand, most upperclassman can agree that all first-year dorms — including Ford, Morton Lemley and Dana — need renovation. It seems that buildings most used by all students are better maintained than the ones students live in.
Ford, one of the oldest buildings, is somewhat well-maintained. It is indeed the most beautiful place to stay on main campus, however it has multiple problems that can be fixed with an update. Each individual room does not have their own bathrooms; instead, each hall has two communal bathrooms with around three to four stalls. That’s not the problem though. These bathrooms often have mold, clogged shower drains and other maintenance issues. This seems like a simple plumbing issue that can be fixed over summer break. Each section — Clara and East and West Mary — has just one kitchen, which is not always well-kept. The appliances are old and appear unkept. If Berry recently bought new kitchen appliances for their new residence halls, they could do the same for older halls. Laundry rooms also have ongoing issues. In West Mary, while there are a lot of units, they frequently malfunction — sometimes even catching fire despite not having lint buildup. The ventilation system in Ford is the worst. Why are students able to hear their downstairs neighbors through the vents? This might not be the easiest fix, but it is one of the factors that students decide to leave Ford after their first year. Finally, these dorms do not have elevators. East Mary and Clara Hall both have three floors and West Mary has four. Moving in is already challenging, but the lack of elevators means some students with disabilities cannot live in one of these beautiful traditional residence halls.
Morton-Lemley, the oldest residential buildings, are not well-kept. There is always a strange smell, the walls have chipping paint and the overall appearance feels dirty. Like Ford, each floor has communal bathrooms and are larger, but they are shared by an entire floor. This makes them not well-maintained, as 40 students are constantly sharing 6 stalls. Some sinks, showers, stall doors and toilet paper holders are often broken or unusable. The rooms are a decent size for two people, though they can feel crowded, making it difficult to have friends over. The walls are so thin that conversations from neighbors can be clearly heard, making this one of the loudest residence halls. Like Ford, Morton-Lemley also lacks an elevator, limiting some students with disabilities options to Dana if they wish to live among other first-years. This being the oldest hall, it needs a total makeover that will not only fix its appearance, but also generally makes the living conditions much better.
Dana Hall is one of the nicest freshman dorms. The bathrooms are well-organized, with three separate sections: shower stalls on one side, sinks with mirrors in the middle and toilet stalls on the opposite side. The best plus side of these dorms is that there are elevators. However, despite these delights, there are still issues with mold and insects. Some showers only have curtains instead of doors, which causes water to spill onto the main bathroom floor, creating a safety hazard. Additionally, these dorms are much smaller than other traditional residence halls. Beds must be lofted, as two people cannot comfortably fit otherwise. The ladders on either side extend into each person’s personal space, making it feel as though students are practically living on top of each other.
While some residential halls, like Morgan, Deerfield, Centennial and Thomas Berry, offer comfortable living spaces with modern amenities, many of the first-year dorms are in dire need of renovation. It may be expensive to renovate these halls, but if Berry wants to keep their students comfortable and keep their retention rate high, they should start with updating living spaces. Ford and Morton Lemley struggle with outdated facilities, maintenance issues and accessibility concerns, while Dana Hall has good features, it also has its own shortcomings. The disparity between student living conditions and the upkeep of other campus buildings raises concerns about Berry’s priorities. Addressing these issues would significantly improve the residential experience for first-year students and create a more welcoming and functional environment for all. But please, just add elevators to Morton Lemley and Ford.