All drawers in Commons 7 to be replaced over break

Some South Campus Commons residents may soon enjoy a discount on a Chipotle burrito thanks to a manufacturing defect on their desk and dresser drawers.

Capstone Management, the company that oversees the Commons buildings, will give Commons 7 residents $5 gift cards to the restaurant to excuse the inconvenience of replacing every drawer in the building over spring break.

When Capstone facilities made its regular check of the apartment building a few weeks before Commons 7 opened, inspectors noticed several drawers had cracks in the wood, Commons director Gina Brasty said.

The fault lies with the manufacturer, who will pay for the replacements, Brasty said.

The new drawers will arrive soon, and Capstone Management issued a notice this week to Commons 7 residents outlining plans to replace the old ones.

Students are pleased with the manufacturer's choice of Chipotle as compensation, but wish that the gift card could afford them an entire meal.

"The $5 Chipotle gift card helps a little bit even though you still need an extra dollar for a burrito," junior economics major Jeff Kruman said.

The manufacturing company, Appalachian University Systems, will be replacing all drawers as a precaution to avoid any future problems, a precaution Kruman finds excessive.

"I thought the letter [outlining planned desk drawer replacement] was so dumb because there are only a few cracks in the drawers, but they want to replace it," he said.

Most students did not seem to notice significant problems with their drawers, junior government and politics major Tim McArdle said, but anything that can improve the Commons 7 seemed like a good idea.

"It doesn't really bother me that much, but if they're going to give me better drawers, then why not?" McArdle said.

While students consider the drawer replacement to be a little inconvenient, they have had relatively few problems with the building.

"I love living here," Kruman said. "Overall, it's a really nice place."

lkorkut@umdbk.com