Downed elevators cause issues for students, campus life

One of High Rise’s two elevators has been out-of-service since the beginning of the fall semester, due to a power outage that damaged the elevator’s control boards, according to Chadron State College Physical Facilities Coordinator Blair Brennan.

Brennan said Wednesday that he did not know the exact cause of the power outage, but that it was most likely due to a snake getting caught in a transformer in the power substation on the far west side of campus.  He did not know how quickly the elevator could be returned to service.

“We have to wait for a repairman, so it’s nothing in our power,” Brennan said.  He added that High Rise’s elevator is one of five elevators on campus currently waiting to be fixed.

Until the elevator is repaired, High Rise residents on the first three floors have been ordered to take the stairs and leave the remaining elevator for residents who live on the higher floors.

Dillon Spies, a sophomore residing in High Rise, is one of these students who have been regulated to taking the stairs, but is focusing more on other residents than him.

“I feel bad for the people on the higher floors because they are having to change their schedule around this,” Spies said.

Resident Advisors must deal with the resident’s complaints, and are also having a hard time with the elevator situation.  Apolonia Calleja, third floor RA, said students weren’t really being reasonable about the situation because the High Rise elevators frequently experience problems, and this is nothing new.

However, Calleja is concerned for the residents and not necessarily annoyed.  She said that students who prefer to stack in the one available elevator rather than taking the stairs are putting other residents at risk, because if too many people get in at the same time, the elevator could malfunction.  Calleja empathizes the residents’ frustrations, however, noting that the situation was a hassle for residents on move-in week.

“It’s been a struggle,” she said.