A furniture show for the new Pomona College residence hall is being hosted in the lobby of Big Bridges Auditorium this week until Thursday. Six vendors are presenting their furniture lines so that students can fill out surveys in which they rank the vendors, listing their top two preferences, and providing additional comments.“We’re trying to get a feel from the students about what they like, dislike, and [how they] feel about the functionality of the furniture,” said Bob Robinson, Assistant Vice President and Director of the Office of Facilities and Campus Services at Pomona.The North Campus dormitory, currently under construction, will require furniture for private suites, six or seven lounges, and 150 students.Robinson said student input, which has been collected since Tuesday, is important to the final furniture decisions.“We want students to be happy with the furniture they’re going to be using throughout their academic career here, so I view it as a critical part of the process,” Robinson said. “They’re the ones who have to live in the building. They have to be comfortable with the furniture. They have to live their daily lives in a safe, comfortable environment, and the furniture and how it works within the building is critical to the students’ success and satisfaction.”Robinson estimates that furnishing the dorm will cost between $1,500 and $2,000 per student. Though there are typical budget constraints, Robinson said his office has not had to make any budget reductions for furniture. In fact, Robinson said, the market might help them receive better deals from vendors.“[The final costs] depend on final bid prices,” Robinson said. “The market is very favorable right now for getting the best pricing.”After it reviews results from the furniture show, Robinson’s office might conduct focus groups with various students in the spring to discuss options and make sure furnishing is on the right track. It will narrow the list to two or three vendors, who will then compete to sell their furniture.During the Clark III dorm renovations, Pomona College held a similar, though smaller, furniture show. This year, the Office of Facilities and Campus Services hopes to receive responses from 10 percent of the student population.The new residence hall is scheduled for completion in March 2011, according to Robinson, and will have two buildings, Sontag Hall and Building B.
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