Written by: Misty Loop

The past couple of weeks we’ve been having abnormally warm weather.  I’m not exactly sure what the causes of this could be, perhaps it is just an exceptionally warm year or perhaps it is global warming.  I’m not sure any of us really knows.  However, I feel that the University could do a lot more when it comes to adequately preparing the buildings on campus for both abnormally cold and warm periods.

I bet any student that attends this university can pinpoint moments throughout his or her career when we have had unseasonable climates.  The buildings in these instances are almost unbearable to be in because they are either too hot or too cold, leaving it almost impossible to truly concentrate for our classes.  I know from my own experience that these days do exist and the university’s response is often non-existent.

Last week they sent out an email that explained why the university could not turn on the air conditioning, citing that if the weather were to change and become colder, it could do permanent damage to pipes and other structures.  This is completely understandable and I do not fault the University directly for this, though they probably should invest in more efficient systems and update the campus. Ultimately, I believe the University should have a plan of action when it comes to making the classrooms bearable.

Perhaps when the University knows that we are going to be having abnormal weather for the week, they should send instructions to each building maintenance staff to prepare the building to the best of their ability.  For example, if the weather is going to be abnormally warm, the maintenance staff could possibly open the windows in every classroom within the building, as well as the hallway doors, and set up a few fans to help circulate air.

I cannot count how many times I have walked into a classroom and my entire class is baking to death because the air has stagnated for hours.  Circulation is key, and should take only 15 minutes at best to complete the task.

Hopefully there are things that the University is working on to improve our classroom lives as students on this campus.  If they are not, however, there are some serious problems.  We are not only the primary product of this university, but we are also the primary customers, and the customer is always right.