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UW springs a few leaks
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by Nick Penzenstadler
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Warmer temperatures Monday left some University of Wisconsin students sitting in lecture halls boasting a few new leaks.
With the weight of several inches of snow melting and temperatures in the low 40s, UW roofs kept maintenance officials on their toes.
"Normally when we go through freeze-and-thaw winters, we have found that some of our roofs have opened up when it starts to warm," UW Physical Plant Director John Harrod said. In some older buildings, like Humanities, Harrod said the weather has a more drastic effect.
However, leaky roofs are not the only problem facing the aging facility.
"It's an older facility, and the mechanical systems are challenged to keep up with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning needs," Harrod said. "There is also a problem with humidity."
One such leak spewed water from the ceiling during Professor Greg Downey's journalism and mass communications lecture in 3650 Humanities.
Downey said the leak was particularly worrisome because of its location over his new computer on the lecture podium.
"I was indeed displeased that 10 minutes into my lecture, water started dripping on my $3,000 university-issued computer I was giving a lecture on," Downey said. "It's kind of a distraction when I'm trying to teach 450 students."
After moving his computer out of harm's way, Downey said he immediately called the maintenance department, who had someone on the scene within 10 minutes.
Rather than ignore the problem, Downey said he forged on and made a joke of the situation.
"It's an opportunity to unwind a little bit and get in some humor," Downey said. "It's weird. My first concern was, 'Is the roof going to cave in?' and then I made the snap decision to keep going."
UW freshman Jill Levy called the situation "hilarious" instead of distracting and said it isn't the first occasion of "building malfunction" she has witnessed.
"That's like the third thing that has happened in that class," Levy said. "In the first day, a piece of the floor came up and hit him in the shin."
Harrod said the maintenance personnel do their best to stay on top of maintenance concerns and have already addressed several leaks with sealants.
With a history of structural issues, Humanities is not the most conducive place for learning on campus according to Downey.
"The Humanities building is probably the absolute worst building on campus to teach in for many reasons," Downey said. "We've had gigantic acoustic tiles fall off the wall, I've had melting snow fall on me, and in previous classes we've heard jackhammering — it's just kind of a crazy place."
Levy said she thinks UW should pay more attention to maintenance problems in the future.
"I find it entertaining that a university with millions of dollars can't afford to keep one of its lecture halls dry," Levy said.
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