Ripon College Days

Media Credit: Photo by Craig Sauer Plop plop. Students say the new toilet dispensers cut their hands and crowd them into already small stall spaces. [Click to enlarge]

Since second semester, students have been adjusting to a new bathroom regimen, and most are not happy about the switch.

The new routine includes squeezing past double-rolled toilet paper dispensers, avoiding its perforated edge, then working to avoid wasting paper towel which doesn't want to tear.

Since the installment of the new paper dispenser over Winter Break, staff and students alike have had a hard time dealing with the new machines, leaving them to wonder why the dispensers were changed in the first place.

The paper towel and toilet paper dispensers on campus come from companies that offer two to three year contracts. As the paper prices go up and the contract ends, the plant department begins searching for new alternatives, says Layne Sessions, director of the Physical Plant.

The college recently signed a contract with Cintas, a large provider of uniforms and paper products.

"All the toilet dispensers and paper towel dispensers were provided to us free of cost from the new company supplying the paper products," says Sessions.

Sessions also explains that the toilet paper and paper towel dispensers will be replaced by Cintas free of charge for basic wear and tear on the machines. The catch? Ripon must purchase all paper products from Cintas for the next four to five years.

Although Sessions says that he hasn't heard much feedback from students and staff about the new dispensers, he does acknowledge some complaints, saying, "College Days says that students were claiming that they cut their hands on the toilet paper dispensers."

Sessions hopes the students and staff will adjust to the new machines. "Of course, it has a perforated edge. I think the students not being used to it may get cuts from it," said Sessions.

Liz Nimm, a senior who works at Communicating Plus, says she has been annoyed with the other bathrooms around campus.

"I have cut my hand on the ridges of the toilet paper dispensers," says Nimm. Her main concern with the new dispensers, however, is the extreme waste of paper towel.

"I think [the paper towel dispensers] are very wasteful because the paper doesn't come out nicely," says Nimm. She says she usually brings a hand towel to the bathrooms to prevent a waste of paper towel.

The Cintas contract is a done deal, and will be active for at least four years, according to Sessions.

"I think there are a lot of people who are frustrated and annoyed by them," said Nimm.

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