Photo Credit: The Xavierite Staff
As temperatures in Chicago continue to drop, students have reported concerns about the temperature in buildings around campus, as well as concerns with campus parking.
Over the weekend of Jan. 7, students in Pacelli Hall reported having no heat in their rooms, even as temperatures were as low as -9°F.
On Jan 17, Facilities Management sent out an email addressing these concerns and stating that “Our facilities engineer has already responded to issues in the N-Wing, L-Wing, A-Wing and S-Wing,” of Warde, though nothing specific was said about Pacelli or the other dorm buildings.
There was also no timeline given on when the other buildings on campus would start to warm up.
The Xavierite tried to reach out to Director Of Facilities Services Peter Skach for further comment, but he was not available by date of publication.
Many Pacelli residents have reported extremely cold temperatures in their rooms, as well as throughout the building.
“The lounge is really terrible. It almost feels like you’re outside,” Lebron Lainer said about the Pacelli lounge. He even said he had to wear gloves while he was studying there.
In his room, Lainer says there is “cold air coming straight out of the AC” in his dorm, making it uncomfortable for him to be there. Other students have found it necessary to block their AC units with blankets and pillows to keep cold air out.
Another Pacelli resident, Jameelah Burks, said that “Pacelli picks and chooses when it wants to have heat,” showing that students cannot rely on the building to provide warmth.
She went on to say “I’ve been freezing, to the point where I’m wearing layers of clothes and that’s uncomfortable. I feel like we should not be experiencing no issues when it comes to heat, water, power, etc. Especially with all the tuition we have to pay monthly. Where is our money going?”.
To stay warm, residents can request a space heater on the eRezlife website, but according to the website, a maintenance request must be submitted before renting the heater. Fan and heater rentals are said to be for “emergency use only”, yet it isn’t stated what constitutes an emergency.
Lainer said that to be given a space heater, “You have to call maintenance to check your AC and if it’s still cold after you have to ask again, then you’ll get a heater,” showing how tedious the process can be for students.
He also commented, “If I didn’t have my own space heater I would be messed up real bad,”.
When asked about the process of obtaining a space heater, Burks said that “It’s easy to get access to a space heater as long as you request one first. It’s more of a first come first serve thing,”.
Beyond the residence halls, commuters are having trouble navigating campus and making it to class. While SXU is notorious for being difficult to park at, the snow has only made things worse for those trying to find parking.
Nailanie Roman had a number of complaints about the conditions on campus, specifically about the safety of parking on campus.
“For one, they haven’t put salt on the ground. It’s real icy, and the snow hasn’t been shoveled,” she said. She expressed fear that her car would be stuck in the snow, and hopes that the parking lots are cleared soon.
Another commuter, Grecia Luna, said that trying to find a parking space has become even more of a challenge.
Luna stated that “people keep taking up two spaces” and that she has had to travel back and forth between Lot’s 1 and 2 in order to find an adequate space.
Luna and Roman both hope that more salt will be put on the roads and sidewalks, so that there will be less risk involved in traveling across campus.
In the coming weeks, Chicago is expected to warm up, though students hope that their needs are met as we continue on into winter. Residents and commuters should regularly check the weather and their email in case of any campus or lot closures.