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February 3, 2003 Volume 27, Issue 22 |
MSU's Roberts Laundry and Dry Cleaners will close in early May at the end of the current semester after extended efforts have failed to halt financial losses incurred by the auxiliary university unit.
For decades a self-supporting operation, the campus service has lost money in successive years, including a deficit of approximately $100,000 last year.
"Financial realities make it impossible for us to continue the laundry operation," said Gaddis Hunt, the university's chief administrative officer. "We have tried for months to stem the losses, but have not found a way to operate in the black."
The business employed as many as 22 full-time workers as recently as 2000, but the staffing level has been reduced through attrition to the current employment of 13. The university is working with the affected employees to help them locate other jobs either on or off campus.
Both laundry and dry cleaning services will remain in full operation through May 9 to serve on-campus and off-campus customers.
In operation since 1902, the full-service laundry did a booming business in the years when mandatory ROTC required that thousands of cadet uniforms be cleaned regularly. The volume of clothing dropped off sharply in recent years with the growing popularity of wash-and-wear materials and the availability of self-service laundries in the residence halls, Hunt said.
Clothing that requires dry cleaning also is less common campus attire than during the laundry's heyday, he said.