Stu-Han gives students cold shoulder
Campus Times
February 13, 1998
cartoon by Stephanie Lesniak
We can all be accused of taking things for granted, especially our basic
needs, like a roof over our heads, food and water. But for those students
who live in Stu-Han, especially Wing Four, water has become a basic nuisance,
and hot water has become scarce.
If you are not the first one in the shower early in the morning, ice-cold
water is what you have to look forward to.
"After 7:30 a.m., there is not hot water," said sophomore
Jaime Ortega.
What a great way to begin a chilly winter morning.
Students in Stu-Han have been promised hot water since their return
to the residence hall after winter break.
"Every other day it is cold, since Christmas," said Ortega.
Christmas was months ago. What is the problem?
Students have been forced to find other ways of showering, some trying
different wings, or even going over to Brandt, and some have resorted to
even going home to shower.
If this was a place of rent, this problem would have been solved first
thing, not six to eight weeks later. Students living in the dorms pay more
per month than those living off campus, and this is what they have to put
up with. Hot water is a must, not a want.
Why is this such a problem, whose job is it to fix it, and when will
it be fixed? Students have tried taking this problem in their own hands
calling and complaining, but all they get is the run around. They have been
told it is getting taken care of, but in actuality, nothing is getting done.
Wing Four received a note from maintenance a week ago informing them
that hot water would be working this past Wednesday. Wednesday night, they
were reinformed that it would be fixed by today, because maintenance could
not get a hold of an inspector to inspect the new boiler system.
According to Jana Ducret, administrative assistant, the entire problem
has been exaggerated.
"When we have gone over there, there has been hot water in all
the wings," said Ducret.
Maintenance claims they have only had one legitimate complaint. The
reason they explain for the other non legit complaints is due to the fact
that there is an old system, and it was not made for so many students to
take such long showers. So, why were so many rooms installed one might ask?
Other complaints were about the water being shut off for repairs, which
was a total of 12 and a half hours. The students were told of all these
times.
Replacing the boiler system is an ongoing project, and is hoped to be
fixed by the end of summer, but we all know how things get fixed so quickly
here at ULV (gym floor, leaks in buildings).
So, now the question stands, is there hot water or not? Do students
need to continue to look for alternative places to shower, or should we
have a hot water monitor sit in the bathrooms to make sure no one takes
too long of a shower, in a place where they pay more to live than an apartment?
More importantly, how will ULV compensate for the lack of hot water?
Will students be reimbursed for the inconvenience? It seems fair to say
that students deserve at least a month's worth of "rent" taken
off their over-expensive housing fee. But how practical is that?
