While University of Maryland students might not have been happy with the school’s decision to stick with one-ply toilet paper, they can rest assured knowing they’re not alone in the Big Ten.
The Residence Hall Association’s Residential Facilities Advisory Board voted against permanently supplying residence halls with two-ply toilet paper on April 12 after projections showed the thicker product would cost the university about $57,000 more each year.
At least seven other Big Ten universities use one-ply toilet paper in their residence halls, including the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Pennsylvania State University and Purdue University.
“Three reasons: cost, more capacity per roll and less issues with plumbing,” said Mike Hofer, associate director of the University of Minnesota’s Facilities Management Custodial Program. “Much of our plumbing is very old, so plugs are more frequent with two-ply.”
Residents at Indiana University, Rutgers University and the University of Wisconsin, Madison all enjoy two-ply toilet paper in their living facilities, while the Ohio State University can’t quite decide which product to use, so administrators have opted for both.
The University of Illinois and Northwestern University did not respond to requests for comment.
