Staff at William Peace University responded to a student petition about new metal tables and chairs on the third-floor breezeway between Flowe and Pressley academic buildings, placing a printed note on the whiteboard stating: “We heard you. The couch and seating will return on 2/24/19.”
John Cranham, associate vice president for buildings and grounds, confirmed in an email that the printed note was posted to respond to student complaints, and that new furniture is on the way.
“The furniture change was prompted by the previous furniture being worn out and in need of replacement,” said Cranham. “We tried something different and became aware of the discussion by students that more comfortable furniture was needed in that space.”
Most students at William Peace University (WPU) have at least once found themselves relaxing on the couches and soft chairs between classes. Therefore, when students came back for the spring semester, they were surprised to see metal tables and stools replacing the old sofas in the breezeway.
One student who was very upset about the new furniture on the third floor, senior Glen McCausland, thought that the couches were more useful to students than the new tables and chairs that replaced the once comfortable seating.
“I come back this semester, and I am thinking I am just going to relax on the couch during my one-hour break and low and behold I see these inmate orange metal chairs,” said McCausland.
Considering the complaints McCausland had heard from his fellow peers, he decided to take it upon himself to try and get these couches back for students to use by starting a petition on a whiteboard on campus.
“I was here [at WPU] late one-night doing homework using the whiteboard in the breezeway, and I decided to write, ‘We want couches back,’ expecting nothing of it and assuming the cleaning staff would erase it later that night,” said McCausland.
After he considered the thought of making a real petition, he found out that there was no need. When he arrived at school the following day, he was pleased to see that someone else had written ‘sign the petition’ on the same whiteboard and many students had already signed their names as well as showing their support through social media.
As it turned out, McCausland was not the only one who wanted the comfortable seating in the breezeway back.
Kelsey Harrison, a junior at Peace, saw the original note left by McCausland on the whiteboard and decided to show her support and write, ‘Sign the petition’ and signed her name first, she said.
“I was not happy to see the new tables and chairs upstairs where the couches used to be. So, when I saw that someone had written that we want the couches back on the whiteboard, I thought that I should take the next step and start a ‘petition’ that I had assumed other students would take part in,” said Harrison.
Within the next few days, at least 20 students wrote their names on the board in support of wanting the couches back. The Peace Times Instagram page also received feedback from students through a poll posted through the ‘story’ option, furthering students support of this couch movement.
Cranham said the university’s goal is to make sure that students are achieving their educational goals while enjoying their time spent on campus, which includes the comfort zone of students.
“We heard you and ordered something more accommodating both in Flowe and in Belk. We appreciated the feedback that the students offered,” said Cranham.