By Garrett Cecere
Editor-in-Chief
On Monday, Nov. 11, the College mandated that students in certain residence halls evacuate their buildings due to a power outage that has affected the campus.
Just after 3 p.m., Residential Education and Housing announced that all students not living in Centennial, Norsworthy, Allen, Brewster or Ely Halls had to leave their dorms by 5 p.m. The announcement included a link for students in need of emergency housing.
Many students woke up Monday morning without power. According to an email to the campus from Head Media Relations Officer Luke Sacks, the affected residence halls included all Townhouses and Eickhoff, Phelps and Hausdoerffer Halls.
The power outage also impacted the Recreation Center, Facilities and the Power House. Sacks wrote that contractors began working on campus, but there was no time frame as to when repairs would be complete.
Shortly after 2:30 p.m., Associate Vice President for Communications, Marketing and Brand Management Dave Muha provided the campus with an update.
“The college has been able to diagnose the cause of the power outage affecting several campus buildings,” Muha wrote. “Repairs are expected to extend through the night and will necessitate us to shut off power to additional buildings.”
The additional areas include Travers, Wolfe, New Residence, Packer, Cromwell and Decker Halls. Muha announced that while classes would be canceled from 3:30 p.m. on Monday until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, the College’s administrative offices would still be open.
Muha also encouraged students in the affected buildings to go home or find other living arrangements, and that anyone in need of housing options could report to the Brower Student Center for assistance.
It was nearly one hour after Muha’s announcement that students learned via Residential Education and Housing that they would have until 5 p.m. to leave their dorms.
In his email, Muha also included a link to a survey for affected students, where they could indicate if they needed emergency housing or if they wanted a shuttle to the train station.
“We will be able to house some students in shared lounge spaces in Centennial and Norsworthy that will be staffed by residential student staff and security in each building,” the announcement on the survey read. “We have a limited number of cots available and access to dining and other facilities will be limited.”
Shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, Interim Provost William Keep informed the campus that the power was back and residence halls would open again at 4 p.m.
"Power has been restored and we are now in the process of ensuring that heat and other critical systems in affected buildings are functioning properly," Keep wrote.
