Don't try to fix things that aren't broken. But what does one do when something is broken and isn't being fixed? Seton Hall students are having problems regarding damage and repairs in their dorm rooms.
According to Director of Housing and Residence Life Tara Hart, when something breaks or malfunctions in the room, the process is simple. The first step is reporting the damage to a resident assistant. Then a work order form must be filled out, which will be given to the general maintenance manager.
Hart said the GMM will then inspect the damage and repair it if he is able. If for some reason the GMM is unable to repair the damage, the Department of Facilities of Engineering will be contacted.
Residents say they have not been receiving the assistance they require in a timely manner. Some are complaining that they have to wait weeks, even months before the damage is fixed. Jessica Bertonazzi, a freshman resident of Boland Hall, said she was unhappy with the time it took for housing to repair damage. "It took housing a month to fix the damaged door in my suite," she said. "It was extremely inconvenient."
Taylor George, another Boland resident, described her situation as "disgusting."
"We had sewage coming out of our shower," she said.
"They took a look around the bathroom, but said absolutely nothing in regards to fixing the problem." Taylor said. "Then they told us to wait because someone would be coming to clean it."
She said no one came to clean the bathroom and the residents had to clean the sewage themselves.
Hart said the time it takes for damage to be repaired depends on the type of damage it is. For example, if a piece of furniture needs to be replaced, it will take more time because the university needs to contact an outside vendor and order the replacement. Larger problems such as plumbing and electric are far more extensive to repair and therefore may not be addressed in the timely manner that students would expect.
Hart said on the other hand, if students are the cause of the damage in their dorm, they will be charged.
According to Hart, the price charged depends on the extent of the damage and where the damaged property is located. The replacement of a bed frame is going to be more expensive than readjusting a door handle. Damage to a common area, such as a suite bathroom, will result in the billing of every student living in that suite. The cost will be divided among the residents. If for any reason a student is being charged when they are not the cause of the damage, they should speak with their resident hall director immediately.
Overall, though, Seton Hall students take very good care of the dorm rooms and other university property. Hart said: "Problems involving extensive damage are rare. Residents are very respectful of the property."
Danielle Adamkiewicz can be reached at danielle. adamkiewicz@student.shu.edu.
