Two weeks ago, the Washington Post reported that American University is getting rid of landlines in its dorms for next fall. The move follows several other universities that have done the same thing with positive results. Other major universities, like the University of Virginia, the Univeristy of Maryland and George Washington University, are looking into the idea, too.

To be blunt, landlines in residence halls are obsolete. Student Monitor, a research firm, found that nine out of 10 students have cell phones today, up from one out of three just five years ago. At Wash U, the number is almost certainly higher, given the affluence of its students.

Yet even the wealthiest students cringe when they see the bill for their landline. Long-distance charges are expensive compared to what one could get on a pre-paid calling card, and the cost of merely having the phone in one’s room is high. This is especially true in multi-student living arrangements, like sophomore suites, where the cost of the landline isn’t split among the residents; a traditional sophomore suite pays for six lines while only getting one. The circumstances surrounding the move to making all students pay for a landline and disallowing line sharing are shady, involving a poorly-understood survey given outside Bear’s Den one day a couple years back.

Disregarding that, the University makes a reasonable point that having landlines improves safety and allows them to contact students in case of emergency. But they already know where every student in University housing lives; In case of emergency, they could just go and knock on the door, or call the student’s cell phone, which she’ll have on her at all times, unlike a landline. The point about safety is better: WUPD can trace calls made from on campus phones, but not cell phones.

That consideration doesn’t outweigh the unfairness that students are forced to pay for something they seldom use. That’s why landline service should be “opt-in.”

To hasten the transition to the wireless world, the University could take many proactive steps. One would be partnering with a cellular provider, using bulk purchasing power to negotiate discounted rates and putting most University members on the same network. And since in-network calling is free on many plans, most intra-University calls would be free.

That plan would still be a new expense for students, many of whom are cost-conscious. But the rates would be comparable to what students are already paying for a landline, and the University could even make the University-sponsored cellular plan eligible for financial aid coverage. In practical terms, replacing landlines with cell phones could impose no further financial burden.

As for the University, it wants to keep landlines around primarily for the revenue it gets from long-distance calls. Due to cell phones, that cash cow is dead. Maybe the University can negotiate a cut of each cell phone plan as a new source of milk.

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