2008 Woodie Awards
Townhouse Troubles Clarified
Kate Preziosi
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: News
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September saw a mix of dramatic temperature changes as the Hamilton weather transitioned and flip-flops yielded to sneakers. With the change, many residents within the Townhouse Apartments complained of discomfort during some nights due to their inability to individually control the heating within the complex.
Some expressed frustration over a lack of communication with Residential Life during the cold blast, citing the need for untimely winter gear to keep warm.
"I was pretty cold myself," senior Matt Jandreau said. "However, I know that the townhouses were designed so that we either have air conditioning or heat, but we can't have both. So instead of complaining about the situation, I just tossed on some extra clothes and used extra blankets."
Senior Lindsay Serpe felt that the problem was mostly informational.
"The main problem with the heat issue was a lack of communication," Serpe said. "A lot of people still don't realize how the heat works and that it has to be turned on centrally for everyone."
Associate Director of Residential Life James Amato is the primary supervisor of the Townhouse Apartments, overseeing such responsibilities as community building and discipline. He cited the need for students to rely on their Community Leaders, who represent each Townhouse Apartment, to keep lines of communication open.
"I forwarded all the e-mails from students to Buildings and Grounds," he explained in regard to last month's cold snap. "They provided both consolation and a solution. [Associate Director of Facilities and Manager of Engineering Services] Peter Babich conducted an informal self-survey over three days, and concluded that about 50 percent of the windows in the complex were open. The first step to solving the problem is to keep them closed."
Amato also called attention to similar problems which other universities across the country experience with central heating systems.
"I'm cold today, but the weather forecast predicts record heat by the end of the week," he said. "Until it's consistently cold, it just doesn't make sense to get the heating system going."
Some expressed frustration over a lack of communication with Residential Life during the cold blast, citing the need for untimely winter gear to keep warm.
"I was pretty cold myself," senior Matt Jandreau said. "However, I know that the townhouses were designed so that we either have air conditioning or heat, but we can't have both. So instead of complaining about the situation, I just tossed on some extra clothes and used extra blankets."
Senior Lindsay Serpe felt that the problem was mostly informational.
"The main problem with the heat issue was a lack of communication," Serpe said. "A lot of people still don't realize how the heat works and that it has to be turned on centrally for everyone."
Associate Director of Residential Life James Amato is the primary supervisor of the Townhouse Apartments, overseeing such responsibilities as community building and discipline. He cited the need for students to rely on their Community Leaders, who represent each Townhouse Apartment, to keep lines of communication open.
"I forwarded all the e-mails from students to Buildings and Grounds," he explained in regard to last month's cold snap. "They provided both consolation and a solution. [Associate Director of Facilities and Manager of Engineering Services] Peter Babich conducted an informal self-survey over three days, and concluded that about 50 percent of the windows in the complex were open. The first step to solving the problem is to keep them closed."
Amato also called attention to similar problems which other universities across the country experience with central heating systems.
"I'm cold today, but the weather forecast predicts record heat by the end of the week," he said. "Until it's consistently cold, it just doesn't make sense to get the heating system going."
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