By Gao Na Yang
Do cold showers lead to cold feet? Three weeks of settling in at the new Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls may have been challenging for a number of students.
Despite a stunning modern environment, the building has been experiencing difficulties like any new home.
Prominent problems included sporadic water temperature, erratic room temperatures, and short circuiting of electrical outlets.
Students are generally satisfied with their new living situation in the new halls, but there will be trying times along the way. Physical Plant director Thomas Blume compares the building to purchasing a new car.
"You drive off the lot with your new car expecting it to function properly and without glitches," he said. "But sometimes problems arise."
Careful investigation and analysis to find solutions take time.
"We ask for students' patience," Blume said. "The source of problems is not always clear."
Vincent Owen, a freshman living in Schoenfeldt Hall, has experienced these problems firsthand.
"Water is a big resource that is wasted," Owen said. "You would have to turn on two showers to get hot water from one."
Owen said students who have to return to a cold room after a cold shower put their health at risk.
"It could make a lot of people sick," he said.
Owen also said that the air vents cannot be adjusted in his room, so it is always cold. Blocking the vent creates a loud wailing, so he decided leaving it alone is his best option.
Although Owen has experienced many kinks of the new hall, he still likes living there. Owen said that despite the frustration, the problems aren't serious.
"We can handle it. My place is great," Owen said. His solution is simple: bigger and warmer sweaters.
Things are a little different on the other side of the hall in Fields.
"Our room is cold during the day and hot at night," said Amara Garnas, a sophomore in Fields Hall.
Like Owen, Garnas decided to improvise by opening the door for cooler air from the hall.
Still, inconsistency is the tune to which students are rocking. The temperature in the suites is more tolerable.
"It's not a problem for us," said junior Kyle Anderson. Anderson and roommate junior John Bergez live in a suite.
"There should be a set temperature for the rooms," Schoenfeldt Assistant Hall Director Daniel Hannon said.
When students voice such problems to the hall directors, they will then decide whom to contact to fix the problem, he said.
Finding solutions is a priority in the residence halls.
Hall Director Jonathan Scrimenti added, "Once we hear about the problem, we work with either Physical Plant or the contractor to get them fixed."
Thus far, the hot water problems have been tackled and resolved.
Students living in the new residence halls were notified earlier last week that the water would be shut off for maintenance last Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"As far as I know, the hot water issue was fixed on Wednesday. Nobody has complained since then," Scrimenti said.
Sophomores Amara Garnas and Demi Stinson are among the students who have experienced short circuiting problems, in addition to water temperature issues.
"It's difficult when people visit and we need to use more than one or two electrical plugs," said Stinson.
In some rooms, there are approximately eight electrical plugs, but only two plugs can be occupied.
Many phone calls regarding problems in the halls are forwarded to Physical Plant and Facilities Planning and Construction.
"We try our best to address the problems in a timely fashion," Blume said. "But it is a process and it takes time to figure out solutions."
Blume also encourages students to communicate with their hall directors about additional problems they may experience.
Though problems may seem to cast a lingering shadow in the halls, students are choosing to relish the silver lining.
It's like new home construction, Scrimenti explained.
"The kinks need to be worked out," he said. "Fields and Schoenfeldt residents have been very mature in reacting to a new hall and knowing it may not be perfect right away."
"Sure, it gets frustrating when we can't depend on the resources to be consistent, but we'll live," said Garnas. "We love it."
The ladies are content and enjoying their home for the year.
Several students share the same optimism. Andersen said that though there are impediments, they are satisfied and do not complain much.
"We're not too fazed by it, because there are options," Bergez added. "And if there are problems, we can talk to our resident advisers and hall directors."
Despite difficulties early on in the year, Stinson understands the situation, saying that it is normal for new buildings to have problems.
Roommate Garnas agreed, "We just have to be patient because we're the ones that get to test this out."
"Our suite in Schoenfeldt is an upgrade from our previous room," Anderson said. "This place is great."
