Dear Campus Community,
I am writing to make you aware of a concerning situation yesterday afternoon where a student was overcome by heat in one of our Rutledge classrooms. Thankfully the student is OK, yet this sad situation underscores the issues we are continuing to contend with in several areas of campus regarding some of our aging HVAC systems.
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. I want to commend the dean, department chairs and faculty who have worked tirelessly to improve the learning environment for our visual arts students throughout the last year. They have moved classes to other buildings, changed class modalities, shifted studios to temporary, cooler spaces, and more.
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. That plan follows.
Step 1.
The cooling issue in Rutledge is related to restricted airflow. We have a contractor
on site who is trouble-shooting the airflow issues. We expect daily updates from
the contractor on progress and plan for another campus update early next week. We
will have fans available on Tuesday when we return from the Labor Day weekend to move
air in the areas still in use for classes. Thankfully, we are looking at lower temperatures
next week.
For the contractor, the first goal will be to generate sufficient airflow to open
the baffles in the ventilation that are currently closed and restricting airflow.
If not successful, the baffles will be mechanically adjusted to remain always in the
full, open position. Next, airflow in each zone will be evaluated. If the variable
air volume (VAV) valves are not working, they will need to be manually adjusted. We
are hoping to have this resolved by the middle of September.
Step 2.
We have earmarked funding to make additional repairs to the current system this year.
These repairs will further improve the airflow sophistication in the building, replace
some other components of the system, and act as a bridge to Step 3.
Step 3.
Our long-term goal is to replace the entire HVAC system. This is a significant multi-million-dollar
investment. We will be seeking state funding this year to completely replace the HVAC
system. This final step will result in a long-term, comprehensive solution.
Until that time, and as we work the above plan, I want to say I'm deeply sorry for the continued disruptions. I am also sorry for others across campus who are experiencing similar issues. The facilities team continues to work diligently to address our maintenance needs.
I will note that a significant portion of the $6 million in non-recurring funding we received from the state this year will go toward HVAC improvements on the campus. Thank you to our legislators for this support and to all of you for your patience as we work through these challenging issues. I hope you have a safe and enjoyable long Labor Day weekend.
Edward
Edward A. Serna
President
