Professors have had to move classes to McLaurin Hall due to the hot temperatures, with many still waiting to get back
September 19, 2024
Winthrop’s HVAC system is showing its age as the temperatures in buildings across campus skyrocket, causing health issues for students and leading some professors to change their teaching routine to combat the disorientating heat.
“Rutledge has been a particular challenge for an extended period of time, although the current issue is different from one last summer that also caused significant disruption. We are, indeed, battling an HVAC system near its end of life,” wrote President Edward Serna in an email addressing the ongoing HVAC issues within the Rutledge building. “On the facilities side, with this latest issue, we have not found a solution. We have a comprehensive, step-by-step plan to address the situation, but it is not immediate, so therefore will not see immediate results.”
The air conditioning issues in the Rutledge building specifically have been ongoing since the beginning of the school year. Many students have made their grievances with the conditions in Rutledge known by taking to social media sites such as Instagram and YikYak.
“It’s extremely hot, we had a student pass out maybe a week or two ago. And they had to send out an email apologizing for that,” said Carlos Frank, a junior art major. “I get distracted, can’t focus sometimes because it’s hot and I gotta wipe sweat off my face a lot.”
Professor Mark Hamilton, who is also the chair of the Department of Fine Arts, expressed a similar sentiment.
“We started having this problem last spring. It got worse over the summer and when temperatures were in the 90s, it really became unbearable,” said professor Hamilton.
Professors in Rutledge, like Hamilton, had to take matters into their own hands and decided to move their class to an entirely different building to avoid the heat. Carlos was one of the students who had to make the switch. “We had to move classes because just sitting there would make us sweat,” Frank said. “We went from Rutledge to McLaurin.”
The air conditioning problems plaguing Winthrop’s learning halls are also present in the Johnson Hall. Going into Johnson, students and faculty can see multiple machines intended to regulate the temperature within the building. Like Rutledge, the air conditioning issues in Johnson have impacted the learning environment.
“I’d say it’s harder to have students concentrate and focus when it’s 90 degrees in the classroom and it’s harder for professors to focus also,” said Professor Meader, a faculty member in the Mass Communication department.
“Additionally, we’ve been told that we don’t have to have our office hours in our office if our offices are 90 degrees, so Zoom appointments are the way to go more often. We were really concerned starting this semester about the TV studio because the equipment will break down in the heat, so a special focus is if the heat is going to impact the studio and what does that mean for classes.”
Addressing these concerns, President Serna wrote a follow-up email about a week later pertaining to the progress of the HVAC issues.
“You may recall that last week I shared a three-step plan to address both short- and long-term solutions for the most recent problems encountered,” Serna wrote. “I am pleased to say that the technician has made some progress, and air has been flowing in some areas since last Thursday evening. Not all areas are getting air, however, so his efforts continue. We also are awaiting part availability and pricing to repair both the cooling and heating fans. That said, we are still in step one of our plan.”
While many appreciated the initiative taken by Serna to get the AC under control, there are also those who are worried about when the next phase of the plan will go through.
“The president rolled out what the plan was to be implemented. I think at this point, what our students are probably the most concerned about is an update plan,” said professor Hamilton.
While the high temperatures in Rutledge are certainly the main concern at the moment, professors and students are also concerned about what the coming winter will bring.
“I think people are really concerned that winter is coming. So while we wouldn’t have any air conditioning in the beginning of the semester, we’re more concerned about whether or not we have heat in the winter,” said professor Hamilton.
So far, there have been notable improvements in the air conditioning across campus buildings. More professors are returning to their regular schedule curriculum and classes are taking place in the rooms they were in originally.
