Life at Galloway Residence is great: It’s a stone’s throw from the dining hall, shirtless men grill hamburgers in negative 10-degree weather, and the guys there are family. However, Galloway reeks, feels dirty, and looks run-down. Hillsdale College allocates millions of dollars toward the new Searle Center and chapel while neglecting the dilapidated Galloway residence.
The Searle Center will provide increased dining and auditorium space for guests during special events. The proposed chapel will be a beautiful place for worship and prayer. Although these additions greatly increase the outward desirability of Hillsdale College, they do not substantively improve student quality of life. The best way to develop student happiness is to create an attractive and clean environment in the dorms because such a large portion of time is spent here.
The list of superficial flaws in Galloway is seemingly endless. The entire building smells like onions rotting inside gym socks. Although this may be partially due to the proximity to the cafeteria (which, from the stench inside Galloway, one may assume only cooks fish and liver), the decomposing carpet and furniture does not help.
Though my nose can forget the odor through olfactory fatigue, unfortunately, some problems cannot be addressed by simply adapting to conditions. For example, the showers in Galloway almost cause skin damage due to the sheer force of the water. The shower on the first floor of Galloway is even accompanied by a sign that warns against flushing the toilet while someone is showering because it may cause extremely hot water. Every shower should be accompanied with a sign that says, “Danger: 200-degree water blasting at 60 mph may cause dry, itchy skin, or death.”
Nevertheless, this does not end my grievances with the bathroom. Third-floor Galloway has a urinal that occasionally doesn’t stop flushing and proceeds to overflow and cover the floor with whatever was inside it at the time. The sinks have two settings: Too hot and too powerful, or too cold and too weak. Every morning when I wash my hands, I have to make a choice between frost bitten hands or third-degree burns. The other day in the restroom I overheard freshman Galloway resident Jackson Ventrella say, “this sink gets hot so fast that the water comes out in the form of steam.”
There are huge problems with the central heating and cooling. In regards to the cooling, Galloway doesn’t have air conditioning. As for the heating, the rooms are equipped with heaters that sound like a car crash when they turn on. Freshman Galloway resident Mark Englert commented on the noise the heaters make: “It sounds like a combination between a cowbell and a hammer.” He added that the heater wakes him up in the middle of the night, which causes tiredness during the day; consequently, his grades may suffer. Clearly, these problems cannot be disregarded.
I am not asking for a complete renovation of Galloway, as Simpson has received, but a few changes would be nice. Galloway could use some new furniture without suspicious stains, shower heads with an adjustable nozzle, and new faucets. The residents of Galloway would appreciate ceilings that don’t randomly crumble and get paint chips in unsuspecting eyeballs. Also, the carpet deserves replacement. In response to the smell of the dorm Englert said, “This carpet contributes to the terrible stench. I think the carpet is older than I am.” Eventually Galloway needs to be fully updated, but for now these small changes can help.
This is not to say that Galloway residents are treated unfairly. After all, we don’t have to deal with pesky air conditioning, hardwood floors, or fully-equipped kitchens like Simpson. Life in Galloway is simple; there is a microwave, toaster, and a vending machine for all of our dietary needs. Freshman Galloway resident James Young said, “I have to walk down two floors just to microwave a burrito.” We don’t get the luxuries of Simpson, so my plea for a few simple upgrades seems little to ask. But there are many things much like Simpson. For example, Galloway has a piano in the first-floor lounge, as does Simpson in its basement. However, some people may rather be in the student union listening to air hockey all day than hear one note on that monstrosity of an instrument in Galloway, while, naturally, Simpson’s is beautiful.
A comparison of the differences between Galloway and Simpson is equivalent to those between a Motel 6 and a Hyatt. Yet I don’t ask for a complete overhaul of Galloway, just a few simple fixes that make daily life more enjoyable. The college could best be improved by focusing — to the extent strings attached allow — fundraising and spending on campus housing, instead of extravagant new buildings.