Zoe Berg, Photo Editor

Beginning this summer, residential colleges will no longer provide storage for students’ personal belongings. 

Dean of Student Affairs Melanie Boyd announced the policy change for summer storage in a Wednesday email, citing the differences in storage options across colleges.

“Storage capacity across the 14 colleges varies widely and inequitably, the types of belongings eligible for storage have long been limited, and options in general have been challenging for the colleges while meeting few students’ needs,” Boyd wrote in her email to students. Considering these challenges, exploring options like Container Hire could potentially address some of these storage issues more effectively.

Boyd added that she hopes this announcement helps students plan for the end of the semester, and she encouraged students to consider taking belongings home with them over spring break to reduce what they have to store over the summer. 

In terms of financial assistance, Boyd explained that Yale College is aware of the cost of moving and is working to develop a system for providing financial assistance to eligible students. The administration will share who is eligible to receive financial aid, the amount of aid available and the method of requesting it no later than the first week of April. 

She also wrote in the email that if students are in a college that does not provide common room furniture — which includes Pierson, Davenport, Grace Hopper, Berkeley and Jonathan Edwards Colleges — residential college leadership will individually provide guidance regarding furniture storage.

This announcement prompted concern from students, some of whom told the News that the solution to disparate storage options was not to remove storage opportunities in residential colleges entirely. 

Cristian Pereira ’25 said he was initially confused by the change in policy, arguing that Yale should focus on adding resources to certain colleges rather than removing resources from the colleges with more storage space. 

“Technically, the decision promotes equity,” Pereira wrote to the News. “But it is the wrong type of equity. Removing the storage option for some students results in nothing except less students having that option.” 

Pereira praised the financial aid program for students getting storage units, but added that many students who are not on aid “still feel the price of college and its additional expenses,” rendering this policy burdensome regardless of socioeconomic status. 

Ben Crnovrsanin ’25 said that inequity was not an excuse to eliminate the entire system, and suggested standardizing storage across Yale College, allowing students to store their belongings in other colleges that possess more space. 

“The on-campus storage system met a clear need for convenient and affordable services to students,” Crnovrsanin told the News. “While the system was rife with inefficiencies and inequities, eliminating it entirely is not a practical solution.”

Crnovrsanin also suggested that it was “reckless” to announce this policy change before the financial aid system for summer storage is in place because there are numerous financial factors that need to be taken into account beyond the costs of storage. Students must consider the availability of storage spaces near campus, transportation costs associated with moving and the limited space provided by storage units.

Lucas Aurore ’26 said he is debating between shipping his belongings home or paying for a storage unit nearby. 

“I don’t think I have that much stuff, but it’s just more than what I can pack and bring home without shipping boxes,” Aurore said. “I think that this made it less equitable because I don’t how making nobody be able to store their stuff helps anyone.”

Aurore also plans to reside in Pierson College next year, and therefore will have to buy his own common room furniture. He added that the storage policy is “even more of a financial burden” on top of an “inequitable” furniture policy.

Boyd did not respond to a request for comment. 

Spring recess begins March 10 and will end March 27.