By Solé Scott
Editor in Chief
Fall has begun, yet heat is rising in Morrill Hall.
Morrill is experiencing air-conditioning problems which are wreaking havoc on classrooms, learning and teaching as the sweltering heat rampages through.
The second floor of Morrill has a separate air-conditioning system from the first floor and basement that was replaced in the last year.
Morill Hall opened in 1961 and is the home of computer science, journalism, geography and earth science. The other air-conditioning systems in Morill Hall were between 35 and 40 years old and have finally stopped working.
Eric Lessne, the associate vice president for capital budgeting and facilities operations, has worked in his position for almost four years.
“The air conditioner in the building is on its last leg,” Lessne said. “We fixed it dozens of times, and the ultimate fix is we have ordered new equipment.”
This project of changing the cooling system is in a timely matter, since classes are in session and facilities need to close off certain classrooms in the basement.
The new air-conditioning system was ordered in the fall of 2023 and is due to arrive in October.
On top of that, the grueling cost the university will have to shell out will be heavy financially.
The new air conditioning will cost, “around $150,000 to $200,000,” Lessne said.
The parts were ordered last fall but have not been delivered to the university due to the pandemic effecting shipping.
“We are working on it,” Lessne said. “People just think because they don’t see immediate action, they don’t think we are working on things.”
As of right now, Room 014 has a temporary air-conditioning system that sits behind the projector. The temporary air-conditioning system is loud and can be a nuisance when professors are speaking.
Sociology major Leilany Cruz, a sophomore, has a journalism class in the basement of Morrill.
“During class, I can’t really focus because I am just too hot and get too overwhelmed,” Cruz said.
Social work major Dayna Smith, a sophomore, has had classes in Morrill.
“Morrill does get pretty hot. Always a struggle to walk all the way there to then sit in class and be dying from how hot it is in there,” Smith said.
Hopefully the new air-conditioning system will be installed during winter break and up and running for the spring semester.
Until then, the temporary air-conditioning system in the basement will have to do, and hopefully the humidity dies down as the weather becomes chillier.
VOL. 64-ISSUE 4
