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Cold weather takes toll on campus

Due to the recent freeze that hit areas all over the United States, Shorter faced various damages across campus, including damages to Bass B and C apartments, Rome Hall and the swimming pool. On the first week back from break, temperatures dropped below 10 degrees, causing pipes to burst and flooding to follow after the water and pipes thawed.

Bob Bagley, or Mr. Bob as most students and faculty know him, is Shorter’s Director of Facilities Management. Bagley has been an integral part in the repairs of Bass, Rome Hall and the swimming pool. Though measures were taken to prevent as much damage as possible, Bagley said it is almost inevitable with temperatures so low.

“With six degree temperature, you can’t safeguard against everything,” said Bagley.

Bass apartments were some of the hardest hit with busted pipes. Bagley said that while he was trying to find a cut off on the water supply for Bass C, he was surprised when a student came to report flooding from Bass B as well.

“The pipes both thawed out within five minutes of each other,” said Bagley.

Rice said students who’s rooms were affected were forced to move out of Bass and into various open rooms, including the third floor of Cooper, other rooms in Bass, Roberts and any open couches they could find. According to Bagley, students will be out for a total of at least a month while repairs are made, including gutting the sheet rock and carpets, which he said will be costly.

“It will probably be another two to three weeks before everything is put back in and ready for occupants to move back in,” said Bagley. “At this point, we don’t know the cost. But it’s not cheap.”

Roommates Madison Rice, sophomore nursing major, and Maggie Peeples, sophomore business major, are some of these displaced students who were shocked to find water streaming from the ceiling in their Bass apartment.

“I thought someone was taking a shower,” said Rice. “But then water started streaming out of our smoke detector. And then it started streaming out of every light.”

Peeples said they grabbed pots, trash cans and anything else they could find to stop the flooding. They then called “Mr. Bob,” who originally thought the girls were overreacting- until he saw flooding in the room. Even after the water was shut off, Peeoples said the flooding continued into the room for another two hours.

One of the pipes in the ceiling of Rome Hall room 314 (chemistry lab) also froze over and burst. According to Dr. Kane Barker, chair and professor of the science department, there was standing water in the chemistry lab with water coming out the doors, flooding the third floor and continuing to both the second and even first floors.

“We discovered it because water was coming in Rome Hall 209, and I immediately knew what that meant,” laughed Barker. “And then I found a waterfall coming from the ceiling to the floor in room 314.”

According to Barker, when water freezes, it has to expand with a lot of force. The ice could only expand against the metal pipes, which ultimately caused the pipes to burst.

There was significant damage to the labs, which are still being dried out with fans and dehumidifiers, according to Barker. Ceiling tiles were destroyed; light fixtures blew; and if the wooden cabinets have permanent swelling from water damage, the drawers will be more difficult to open. Barker, however, said that he was thankful for a quick response from his students and faculty.

“Fortunately, we had a lot of students and faculty in the department who really acted quickly to secure the computers and projectors and protect as much of the equipment as we could,” said Barker.

Rice and Peeples, who are both members of the women’s basketball team, said having to move rooms added stress to their schedules; however, they said they are making the most out of it.

“It was stressful the day we had to move, because we had to do it after practice and walk up three flights of stairs to move all our stuff again,” said Rice. “But after that it wasn’t that bad anymore.”

Peeples added that Shorter did a lot to help with their move.

“All the RA’s came and helped us move out,” said Peeples. “Shorter helped a lot, but it was still really stressful during the first day when we had to move out.”

Barker said the biggest inconvenience for the science department was losing Rome Hall 209-210, which are both highly used classrooms. He added that fortunately the registrar office responded quickly with new room assignments, but it is still an adjustment for professors and students.

“Everyone likes to teach in their rooms, and we all choose our rooms specifically,” said Barker. “But we’re just dealing with it- it’s a part of life.”

Jessica Wright