First-Years Receive Frosty Dorm Welcome

Many Harvard first-years did not receive a warm welcome back to campus early this past weekend.

Many members of the Class of 2001 returned from winter break only to find their dorm rooms poorly heated.

Residents of some of the Yard's biggest dorms, in particular Canaday, Wigglesworth and Thayer, complained that, in the words of Kristin M. Branson '01, "it wasn't much warmer inside than outside."

The Yard and Union dorms reopened at noon Jan. 1 for the official beginning of reading period on Jan. 2.

Heat was turned on in all first-year dorms at 12 a.m. on Jan. 2, according to Tom F. MacCurtain, a University Operations Services (UOS) supervisor.

However, many first-year complained that heaters were either malfunctioning or simply not turned on at all for those first two days.

"The heat was barely on the morning of January 2, then it was suddenly turned off, and it didn't come back on for awhile," said David J. Kim '01, a resident of Wigglesworth Hall. Kim said he has been wearing his winter jacket indoors to keep warm.

Meanwhile, on the fourth floor of Mass. Hall, Jana K. White '01 tried wearing gloves while typing but said she gave up when the attempt proved futile.

"My fingers were just too cold," she said.

The majority of the complaints have been from residents of the larger first-year dorms, though some complaints were also logged from Hollis, Lionel and Mass. Hall. First-years living in the Union dorms said they had no complaints.

MacCurtain said that the Yard dorms have computerized heating systems.

"The heat in those buildings (was) shut down for the break so it takes a while longer for it to get again," MacCurtain said. "Everyone should have normal heat by now."

Dorm rooms are normally heated to 68 degrees during the day and 66 degree after midnight, MacCurtain said.

In addition to the post-break chill, some first-years also complained that there is never enough heat in their rooms.

Sam L. Sternin '01 of Hollis Hall recalls telephoning UOS earlier in the semester.

"They came, waved a thermometer around, realized that it was really cold, turned up the heat a bit, but it is even colder now and they haven't turn it up again," he said.

MacCurtain said UOS responds to complaints one-by-one.

"We will dispatch an operator to the site, survey the area of concern and then act accordingly," MacCurtain said, recommending that students leave a contact name and phone number to speed up the process.

Students with heating concerns should contact UOS at 495-5560

"They came, waved a thermometer around, realized that it was really cold, turned up the heat a bit, but it is even colder now and they haven't turn it up again," he said.

MacCurtain said UOS responds to complaints one-by-one.

"We will dispatch an operator to the site, survey the area of concern and then act accordingly," MacCurtain said, recommending that students leave a contact name and phone number to speed up the process.

Students with heating concerns should contact UOS at 495-5560