Over winter break, UVM installed brand new washers and dryers in all residence hall laundry rooms, stated Cameron Plourde, assistant to the director for the Department of Residential Life, in a Jan. 26 email.

The new machines come with UVM’s transition to its new laundry vendor, Automatic Laundry, following the expiration of its previous ten year contract with CSC Serviceworks on Dec. 14, stated Plourde in a Feb. 1 email.

“We are very excited for the University to be partnering with Automatic Laundry,” stated Charles Holmes-Hope, director of Residential Life, in a Jan. 26 email. “We believe that these enhanced facilities will support a streamlined student experience and add value to living on campus here at UVM.” 

Once the necessary infrastructure is in place, students will be able to access updates and manage machines, including reporting problems, online, Plourde stated in a Feb. 1 email.

Installing the hardwired data connection in each laundry room necessary to implement these features is hoped to be completed over the summer, Plourde stated in a Feb. 8 email.

Until then, students can contact the email address or phone number located directly on the machines to report problems, he stated in a Feb. 1 email.

“As these machines are brand new, we encourage our students to promptly report any issues to the vendor to ensure the maintenance of a state-of-the-art laundry service for our students,” Plourde stated.

These features will allow staff to better monitor the functioning status of the machines, Plourde stated in a Jan. 26 email. Also, because of the internet-connectivity of the machines, many common problems will be able to be repaired remotely by the vendor, reducing delays and inconveniences.

Sophomore Ella Tovares appreciates the reliability of the new machines, she said.

“It’s definitely made it easier for me to schedule when I’m doing my laundry because I know that the machines will always work,” she said.

She found the old machines to be unreliable, making it difficult to find time for laundry since she did not know if her clothes would be done on time, she said.

Tovares feels excited about the prospect of remotely fixing the machines, she said. She hopes it will make the repair process efficient.

The University leases the new machines from Automatic Laundry and does not own them, Plourde stated in a Feb. 1 email. The leasing cost was as expected.

“As a core part of our departmental mission, Residential Life is committed to seeking and responding to student feedback, and we know that our residents were specifically requesting more reliable, accessible laundry facilities,” Holmes-Hope stated in a Jan. 26 email. “We are confident that our new vendor will deliver the experience our students expect at UVM.”