What began at the end of September with a discolored ceiling tile in the lobby of Schlosser Residence Hall has escalated into a larger issue for Residence Life, Facilities Management and the residents of Schlosser 2-West, causing significant disturbances in the daily life of those living there.
The discolored ceiling tile led to a large leak in the shower plumbing on the second and third floors of the residence hall. Facilities Management quickly responded to the problem and closed the showers to prevent further damage from occurring.
However, little over a month later, the Schlosser 2-West showers are still leaking and in need of repair. Currently, the Schlosser 2-West dorm area has only three working showers for a floor with over 40 female students residents.
“Many of the girls on the second floor have to come down to use our showers, especially during sports hours,” junior Residence Assistant (RA) Torie Tassallo of Schlosser 1-East said. “There has also been a smell from the leak, and many of the girls are worried about allergens like mold.”
As a temporary solution to this issue, Residence Life and Campus Security agreed to open unoccupied rooms in Tower A of Founders Residence Hall to Schlosser residents who would like to move there until the problems with their showers are resolved.
While there are those in Schlosser who are grateful for the current arrangements, many other students are left wondering why temporary measures are being undertaken instead of a permanent solutions to this problem.
A meeting held by Area Coordinator Cody Miller in Schlosser to address the students’ concerns became quite energetic, with many students voicing frustration, anger and dismay at Elizabethtown College’s handling of the current situation.
Miller opened the meeting with perhaps the most direct statement of the evening. “The past month has kind of sucked for the folks on second floor west,” he said. He then went on to explain in more detail the content of emails from Director of Residence Life and Student Activities Allison Bridgeman regarding the proposed bathroom repair plan.
In the email, Bridgeman provided an explanation of the issue, a description of the actions Residence Life and Facilities Management have taken to fix the leaking showers and a proposal for temporary solutions.
Photo by Julia Soltis
“Please know that we are very concerned about the shower closures on your floors and that finding a resolution is a top priority,” Bridgeman stated in an email to the Schlosser 2nd and 3rd floor communities.
“Facilities started to investigate the leaks in the ceiling and floors by using dye test to try to determine the cause. Facilities Management also brought in an external partner to assess the issue and provide suggestions for remediation. Those recommendations are currently with Facilities Management staff and they are determining which options will bring the quickest resolution.”
However, although Residence Life has been sending the affected residents emails of the proposed repair plans for Schlosser’s shower facilities, some students are still unimpressed with their efforts.
“The entire situation was handled poorly,” sophomore Sara Allocco said. “I commend the Schlosser RAs for handling the situation professionally and managing student concerns. Still, Schlosser students deserve better.”
A petition started by senior 2-West RA Karissa Swartz and presented to Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Marianne Calenda has gathered over 140 signatures to request that immediate action be taken to the situation.
As a traditional underclassmen dormitory, Schlosser is an important aspect of the first-year and prospective student experience. The show room (a demonstration room often displayed on tours by Jaywalkers) is located in Schlosser.
“It’s almost like the College cares more about prospective students than actual students,” Senior Megan Kuczma said.
According to Bridgeman’s email, Facilities Management has elected to undertake full repairs during Winter Break, while temporary repairs will be completed by the end of November.
