2008 Woodie Awards
New dorms prove problematic
By: Journal Staff
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: Opinion/Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
Imagine not being able to take a hot shower for three weeks in winter. Residents of East and West Halls experienced just that when calcium buildup restricted the water valve from opening to release sufficient hot water.
Dave Stone, interim director of facilities planning and management, said this buildup happened faster than expected, taking maintenance by surprise. It took several weeks before maintenance decided the problem was not individual rooms, but the entire building. This is like seeing a lot of blood and trying to find a place to stick a Band-Aid before realizing you need to go to the emergency room.
The dorms, built summer 2006, have a plethora of problems, including the lack of hot water, thin walls and unusable technology.
Safety also is a concern for some freshmen whose smoke detectors have been broken since before Thanksgiving. Buck said facilities responds to work orders based on the urgency of the complaint. If a fire breaks out in the middle of the night and the students' smoke detectors aren't working, they might die. What takes precedence over that?
Fortunately these students may be saved by hearing their neighbors' smoke alarm through the paper-thin walls. Residents regularly complain the walls are absurdly thin. If residents are having a conversation, others in the next room can hear it clearly. Thanks for springing for walls that allow students some privacy, Webster.
However, Webster did spring for fancy new technology to go with the pretty new building. Residents can get television via their computers from a service provided by Charter Communications. Unfortunately, this service doesn't work with certain models of Dell computers - great for students who purchased that model of computer.
The burden of the new dorms' problems cannot solely be placed on administrators, however. There are concerns among administration that students are not filing complaints quickly enough. Some students don't want to deal with problems, such as water leaks, and don't report them until the problem has turned into something serious. Students must report problems sooner and maintenance workers must address work orders sooner.
To report a problem with campus housing, residents of the Webster Village Apartments should go to the WVA clubhouse to submit a work order. Residents of East and West Halls also should submit a work order. They can consult Residential Life. When in doubt, students can always consult their trusty RAs.
Though the dorms look nice, various internal problems need to be addressed by both students and administrators.
Dave Stone, interim director of facilities planning and management, said this buildup happened faster than expected, taking maintenance by surprise. It took several weeks before maintenance decided the problem was not individual rooms, but the entire building. This is like seeing a lot of blood and trying to find a place to stick a Band-Aid before realizing you need to go to the emergency room.
The dorms, built summer 2006, have a plethora of problems, including the lack of hot water, thin walls and unusable technology.
Safety also is a concern for some freshmen whose smoke detectors have been broken since before Thanksgiving. Buck said facilities responds to work orders based on the urgency of the complaint. If a fire breaks out in the middle of the night and the students' smoke detectors aren't working, they might die. What takes precedence over that?
Fortunately these students may be saved by hearing their neighbors' smoke alarm through the paper-thin walls. Residents regularly complain the walls are absurdly thin. If residents are having a conversation, others in the next room can hear it clearly. Thanks for springing for walls that allow students some privacy, Webster.
However, Webster did spring for fancy new technology to go with the pretty new building. Residents can get television via their computers from a service provided by Charter Communications. Unfortunately, this service doesn't work with certain models of Dell computers - great for students who purchased that model of computer.
The burden of the new dorms' problems cannot solely be placed on administrators, however. There are concerns among administration that students are not filing complaints quickly enough. Some students don't want to deal with problems, such as water leaks, and don't report them until the problem has turned into something serious. Students must report problems sooner and maintenance workers must address work orders sooner.
To report a problem with campus housing, residents of the Webster Village Apartments should go to the WVA clubhouse to submit a work order. Residents of East and West Halls also should submit a work order. They can consult Residential Life. When in doubt, students can always consult their trusty RAs.
Though the dorms look nice, various internal problems need to be addressed by both students and administrators.
Be the first to comment on this story