First-Years Find Problems In Newly - Renovated Dorms

In the middle of winter, Henry B. Wilde '97 and Darin p. Goulet '97--who are roommates in newly-renovated Weld Hall--had no hot water for two months.

Goulet said that they "tried to get hot water [by turning] it on and [leaving] it on for a half hour" but the water stayed ice cold.

Wilde said he called the Yard superintendent's office several times, but with no results. Hot water was finally restored last Friday morning when Wilde's mother called the superintendent's mother called the superintendent's office herself.

Complaints about the condition of the first-year dormitories have been a part of the Harvard routine for as long as first-years have inhabited the Yard and the area behind the Union.

The renovations were supposed to change that. But first-years say problems with hot water, room heating and peeling paint persist.

And students say that the Yard superintendent's office has been slow to respond to their concerns.

All questions about the conditions of the first-year dorms were referred to Edith C. Groden, manager of facilities maintenance for the Cambridge area of the University Groden could not be reached for comment at the office yesterday, and she did hot return phone calls to her home last night.

Naomi L. Reid '97 says paint is peeling off the walls of her room and "falling everywhere." Reid is a resident of Greenough Hall, which was renovated over the summer.

"[The superintendent's office] said they were going to fix it over Christmas break but they didn't" Reid says.

Anitra J. Wright '97, who lives in newly-renovated Hurlbut Hall, says she has had problems with the lack of heat in her room.

When she called to complain earlier this year, officials "came with their little thermometer" to her room and said that they could not "turn the heat up any more."

Bettina Schultz, a proctor in Weld Hall, says students in have had problems with the room temperature several times.

She says she is going to "verbally bring [the recurring problems] to the attention of the management."

Romney L. Resney '90, a proctor in Hurlbut, says that there have been problems with heat and water in her dorm too.

she says that the water temperature falls at certain times of the day, and that the water takes at least 10 minutes to heat up in the morning. There are problems with the heat as well.

"[It is] the same problem as last year," Resney says. "Sometimes it's really hot and sometimes it's really cold.

"I don't know how much more effective [the renovations have made facilities]," she adds.