Some students say they are having trouble adjusting to problems with the electric system in Banning Hall.
Banning adapted to a new air conditioning system earlier this year. The new system led to some initial malfunctions with heating, prompting maintenance workers to distribute space heaters to residents.
The space heaters indirectly caused the electrical outlets to stop working in the northeast stairwell early in March, according a Facebook post on the Banning page by Wesley Yang, psychology/youth ministry senior and Banning RA.
The space heaters were revoked within the next few days, but shortly given back to residents in the belief that the problem was resolved, though it caused the same issues to reoccur.
Michael Burns, director of housing and residence life, said the air conditioning problems were a temporary issue and were resolved quickly.
“It wasn’t a persisting issue,” Burns said. “I don’t know that anybody could have anticipated exactly how it was going to happen. Whenever it happened, they just flipped the switches back on.”
Despite this, some students still expressed discontent with the repercussions of the lack of air conditioning.
“They weren’t originally planning on turning on the A/C until March 31, which is frankly ridiculous,” said Sierra Paul, theater education freshman and Banning resident. “It was so hot in my room, sleeping there made me feel physically ill.”
The issue was potentially due to the number of appliances plugged into the outlets at one time, according to a Facebook post by Darilynn Hammond, head resident for Banning and Draper halls.
“At this time, we do not have a clear estimate of how much longer our partners will be working to repair the heating system, but will provide more information as it becomes available,” the post reads. “To minimize this issue and ensure that the outlets continue to work, please turn off the space heaters and unplug any other devices that aren’t readily being used, particularly when you are out for class and rehearsals.”
Kathryn Sugianto, mass communications freshman and resident of Banning’s northeast stairwell, said the outlet failures began during Spring Break.
“Had it not been the space heaters, the fridge was fine operating as it was. I think it was just kind of the combination of the two that made everything go to hell,” she said. “I thought it was my power strip, but it was just the appliances and the space heater that kind of pushed it over the edge.”
Sugianto said some Banning residents still have the space heaters, even though the air conditioning problems were resolved.
“We still have them, I guess because they turned the air conditioner back on, so it gets cold on random nights,” she said.
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