2008 Woodie Awards
Housing considers removing dormroom landlines
JORDAN TATE
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: News
The phone you never use could disappear next year.
As a result of an online Educational Benchmarking survey, University Housing is considering discontinuing the landline phone service to on-campus residents in favor of the monetary benefits.
"Each line costs approximately $20 a month," said Ralphel Smith, assistant director of residence hall services.
An estimate specifies only 15 percent of on-campus residents have a phone plugged in, and even fewer know the number to call the phone.
"In the past four years, our numbers, or percentage of people who have used the phone in their room, has declined tremendously. It went from 30 percent to 50 percent to 70 percent that don't even use the telephone at all," Smith said. "Nowadays, however, we have to ask if we are providing something that is useful or something that is not even relevant to our customers."
There are approximately 3,000 lines in the residence halls. If the phones are discontinued, savings could range between $500,000 to $750,000, the survey found.
No concrete plans have been made concerning how the savings could be used. Smith said other institutions, such as Florida State University and the University of Arizona, use the money to subsidize the rent for future residents so the rate remains flat.
Another assessment of the need for phone services was done in the past four years, but cell phone use was lower at that time, when a landline room phone was still a staple of residence life.
Gerard Kowalski, executive director of University Housing, created a committee to document potential concerns of residents. Other schools that have completed the transition don't report any observable problems after the change, he said.
Employees of University Housing, such as resident assistants and desk assistants, use the landlines to coordinate and complete job-related tasks daily. University Housing has not determined an alternative to landlines for employees.
Kowalski said he will meet with the Student Life and Assignments Office to make a decision by the end of the semester.
As a result of an online Educational Benchmarking survey, University Housing is considering discontinuing the landline phone service to on-campus residents in favor of the monetary benefits.
"Each line costs approximately $20 a month," said Ralphel Smith, assistant director of residence hall services.
An estimate specifies only 15 percent of on-campus residents have a phone plugged in, and even fewer know the number to call the phone.
"In the past four years, our numbers, or percentage of people who have used the phone in their room, has declined tremendously. It went from 30 percent to 50 percent to 70 percent that don't even use the telephone at all," Smith said. "Nowadays, however, we have to ask if we are providing something that is useful or something that is not even relevant to our customers."
There are approximately 3,000 lines in the residence halls. If the phones are discontinued, savings could range between $500,000 to $750,000, the survey found.
No concrete plans have been made concerning how the savings could be used. Smith said other institutions, such as Florida State University and the University of Arizona, use the money to subsidize the rent for future residents so the rate remains flat.
Another assessment of the need for phone services was done in the past four years, but cell phone use was lower at that time, when a landline room phone was still a staple of residence life.
Gerard Kowalski, executive director of University Housing, created a committee to document potential concerns of residents. Other schools that have completed the transition don't report any observable problems after the change, he said.
Employees of University Housing, such as resident assistants and desk assistants, use the landlines to coordinate and complete job-related tasks daily. University Housing has not determined an alternative to landlines for employees.
Kowalski said he will meet with the Student Life and Assignments Office to make a decision by the end of the semester.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
crybaby
posted 3/25/08 @ 10:58 AM EST
no phones... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Kristen
posted 3/25/08 @ 12:38 PM EST
I can't say that the university is...well anything. However, they are completely and utterly incompetent and unhelpful for wanting to get rid of the phone lines. (Continued…)
Tanya
posted 3/25/08 @ 3:00 PM EST
Its about time they got rid of those. My roommate and i plugged in a phone last year (we were the ONLY ones in our hall, prob in the entire floor too) and it only rang twice, both from the university for random stuff. (Continued…)
Ryan
posted 3/25/08 @ 4:03 PM EST
20$ per room, per month... Thats a lot of money. Cutting this out really seems to make sense.
Cat
posted 3/25/08 @ 10:33 PM EST
I wonder if it would have any effect on the internet connectivity.
PR
posted 3/25/08 @ 11:16 PM EST
I use my landline...I live in ECV. I would DEFINITELY be pissed if they discontinued the service. If housing discontinued the landline service I doubt they would subsidize rent because UGA will do anything to take your money. (Continued…)
whatanidiot
posted 3/25/08 @ 11:23 PM EST
"Take the money from the WAY to well funded sports program."
What an idiot...you mean take it away from an area of the university that is almost completely paid for using donor money???? If you factor in the fact that the sports programs (especially football) help make UGA more attractive for potential faculty members and students, then they are really an overall net positive for UGA financially. (Continued…)
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