RHASS program to change after 30 years

What began in 1971 as a way to help students run their own business now has decided to leave the labor-intensive service industry and help students in a different way.\nResidential Halls Association Student Services has been providing micro-fridges and lofts to students in residence halls for more than 30 years. Now it is looking to reorganize and depend less on other people by offering new services to students. \nThe organization has used student labor to install, repair and clean items likes the micro-fridges for many years. However, the cost of providing this service to students is increasing.\n"What we are making from the rentals of these items is not evening out with the cost," said senior Meredith Canada, also a RHASS accountant. "Basically, the cleaning, installation, storage and repairs are costing more than what we are making."\nAlthough Student Services has been delivering the products for many years, they believe this is not what students want.\n"The market has changed," said Sarah Nagy, assistant director of RPS. "The structure and what services this program provides have not changed in the past 20 years, and for the business to be a success, we have to make some changes."\nOne idea that has surfaced is Valet Today, which offers to pick up, wash, fold, fluff and deliver your laundry. \nStudent Services employs 14 people who work year-round, doing such jobs as repairing broken items. But RHASS is now hoping to diminish the size of its labor force considerably.\n"Eleven of those 14 will not have positions next year," Canada said. "That doesn't mean that we might not rehire them later, but it means that while we reorganize and plan what we are going to do, we will not need them."\nNo matter how RHASS changes its business, students are going to contribute their ideas, too.\nFreshman Bryan Etienne would like to see DVD players and VCRs made available.\n"Some of their items are in pretty bad shape. A friend of mine has a handle on his micro-fridge that is broken," Etienne said. \nFreshman Carrie Spratford would like to see only minor changes.\n"I would like for the majority of their services to stay the same. I like the loft idea," Spratford said. "And if the laundry service isn't too expensive, I would like to see that also."\nFor now, the main goal is to reorganize and develop ideas for new services. \n"Students should get out and tell us what they want," Canada said. "Our goal isn't to make a profit, it's just to learn valuable business experience, and to do so, we have to get into a better market."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Ryne \nShadday at rshadday@indiana.edu.