Furniture in Garrigus Suites was replaced with smaller desks and dressers, and new desks and dressers in Connecticut Hall are smaller than in other dorms.
University spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said in an email that the furniture in Garrigus Suites was replaced because it was old, and that the decision to use smaller furniture in Garrigus and Connecticut Hall was based on student feedback.
“UConn has received student input over many years about the size and style of furniture in its residence halls and took that feedback into account when selecting the new items,” Reitz said. “Students often tell hall directors and others that larger desks and dressers make room configurations more limited and challenging, sometimes compelling them to loft their beds for more space when they would have preferred not to.”
The same type of furniture was added to other places on campus that needed replacement furniture, according to Reitz.
Christina Logan, a fifth-semester junior human development and family studies major living in Garrigus, was unhappy with the reduction in storage space.
“The University also used some of the newly purchased furniture in spaces throughout campus where items needed to be added or replaced,” Reitz said.
“I had to drop another $200 on furniture and extra bins to put my clothes or whatever…The whole point of why I was excited to live in Garrigus was more storage,” Logan said. “There is more room, so that’s the bright side of it. When I think about it, I have no idea where I would’ve put [the dresser], especially living with three people.”
Maddie Beaudoin, a third-semester sophomore economics and political science major living in Connecticut Hall, said that there was more room than she’d thought based on photos.
“I like it. I think it’s a lot bigger. When I saw the pictures, I was super worried because they looked really small, and I was not excited at all. But the room has a lot more space and there’s a lot more area, especially on the desk, than I thought,” Beaudoin said. “I do wish there was maybe one or two more of the drawers.”
Lindsey DeSantis, a fifth-semester junior animal science major living in Garrigus Suites, bought additional furniture.
“I’m glad that they got rid of those really tall dressers,” DeSantis said. “But now we have these super, super, super crammed ones so I had to buy another plastic bin to put all my stuff in.”