Destene Savariau – News Editor
North Campus Midrise has seen an increase in building-related issues. Students have been getting stuck in the elevator.
“This elevator always seem to be broken or have some sort of issues and it becomes very inconvenient throughout the school year,” hospitality and tourism major, Neveah Mills, a senior said.
Some North residents mirror these feelings as they also bring up the concern of their safety using the elevator. With its slowness and constant creaking, a few residents worry they may get stuck, or will get stuck again like psychology major, Stephen Ibekwe, a junior, who got stuck in the elevator on Oct. 3.
“I got stuck in the elevator on Monday. The elevator took me to the main floor, but it didn’t open. I was there for a good like, I would say like, 10 minutes,” Ibekwe said. “I was yelling, and I had to knock on the elevator really loud and yell again until the RAs, Residential Advisors, heard me and sent me back to the fifth floor. Then I just took the stairs down because I’m not taking that elevator back down again.”
Some North residents feel this could have been prevented. Especially since they have taken notice that the elevator’s inspection certificate is three months past its expiration date, it expired on July 5.
“I think we could have just paid more attention to the elevator itself because if you look on it, it literally has the date of expiration and it’s in like July so it has been expired for a while. So yeah, probably just pay more attention to the things,” Ibekwe said.
North Hall Director Clint P. Gosselin was unavailable for comment.
One of the elevators in North Midrise then broke, so far it has been over two weeks, and residents have been using one elevator for all six floors.
Other elevators, including the two in the Adanti Student Center, have certifications that do not expire until late 2023.
“All of the elevators on campus have been inspected by the State Elevator Inspector within the last three months. The delay in the delivery of the inspection certificate is basically due to the paperwork follow up that is bogged down due to the very large amounts of retirements that happened this past summer. I will assure you as soon as the certificate arrive at facilities that they will be installed into the appropriate elevator,”Associate Vice President of Capital Budgeting and Facilities Operations Eric Lessne said.
