Ice is often inaccessible during nights in Jester West dormitory, government sophomore George Strong said. When students want ice for drinks or injuries, they have no place to obtain it.

“My friend messaged me … and she goes, ‘My roommate’s foot is swelling. Do you know where I can get any ice from?’” Strong said. “I was not sure if there is an ice machine in the dorms, and when I went to look, there was not one. Since J2 was closed, and Wendy’s didn’t have any ice, we couldn’t get ice for her.”

The University Residence Hall Association, a student organization that submits proposals to improve the quality of dormitories, voted and unanimously passed a proposition on adding ice machines to dorms in October. The proposition will be moved to University Housing and Dining for approval after all residence halls compile reports that list seven potential uses for ice machines and possible locations, association president Tayler Kennedy said.

“We can’t guarantee one in every dormitory,” Strong said. “But we are pushing for each residence hall to have (an ice machine).”

Potential uses for an ice machine include first aid, accessibility of chilled drinks for events and individual use and environmental conservation, since the plastic ice tray use would go down, Strong said.

Resident Assistants sent out a poll to residents in Jester West via multiple GroupMe chats, which showed that a majority of students are in favor of adding ice machines to the dormitories, Strong said.

“Ice is especially essential for students with long-term injuries,” said Kennedy, a history and liberal arts honors junior. “Students who tear their ACL, for instance, when they’re in the dorms, and they need that ice to reduce the swelling, they have to go all the way to JCL, and that closes around 11 p.m.”

Chemistry junior Slade Lee lives in Creekside. He said ice machines in dormitories will allow students to heal injuries faster. Lee and his friends have sprained their ankles playing basketball and did not have easy access to ice.

“You can walk to 7/11 — it’s like a block away from Creekside, but walking on a sprained ankle is not fun,” Lee said. “You can walk to the (Student Services Building), but again it’s a pretty far to walk on a sprained ankle.”