EDITORIAL: Operation: dorm facelift

After Hill House, the high rises and unrenovated Quad should receive attention. This semester's experiments with new furniture in Hill House and the replacement of the building's hot water system are the first steps in a 10-year plan to renovate all campus dormitories. Hill is a good place to start, as many of its facilities have not been updated in more than 30 years. The dorm's existing furniture was not designed to accommodate computers, microwaves or other modern electronic appliances. New furnishings will make Hill far more liveable. And it's nice to see student opinion being taken into account during the new furniture trial period. Other upcoming projects include the installation of a fitness center in High Rise South's rooftop lounge, as well as several plumbing and alarm system upgrades. As for additional stages of the renovation plan, we suggest that unrenovated Quad rooms and the high rises receive prioritization. The basement of the Butcher/Speakman/Class of '28 dormitory is currently uninhabitable as a result of frequent flooding. And the high rises boast outdated furniture similar to that in Hill. Many changes are also necessary to enable the new college house plan to reach its full potential. Improved common areas in dorms -- especially Harnwell, Harrison and Hamilton houses -- would help facilitate residential communities. And in order to create a truly mixed-year experience, some first-year rooms will have to be converted into suites or kitchen-equipped singles to lure more upperclassmen and graduate students. We recognize that this massive facelift will be costly. At the same time, however, as room rates are already quite high, we encourage administrators to make an effort to limit any necessary rent increases. A decade from now, campus residences should look vastly different. We look forward to the results.