Two weeks following the Rappahannock River Hall elevator malfunction, the main breezeway elevator has yet to be restored and students have been struggling with the inconvenience of the elevator not being operational. In the most recent email update on Feb. 13, University Housing Operations said they have the cost estimate for repairs and are awaiting approval. Next steps will be to order parts and schedule a day for the contractors to do the repairs. Housing operations explained that parts can take 10 to 15 days for delivery and that there is no specific completion date set.
“It is currently very frustrating, as I have a boot on from a recent surgery and am using a scooter right now,” said senior Rappahannock resident Gabby Pascoe on accessibility.
Pascoe has to use a different elevator that is farther out of her way every time she needs to go to her dorm room.
Adding to students’ struggle, one of the doors to the building has been broken for almost the same amount of time. The handle to the door near the parking garage on the path to the courtyard has broken off and the handicap button is out of commission.
Students and maintenance have been leaving different objects in the door to keep it propped open, such as rocks and logs. While students have placed multiple work orders, they have yet to see progress on the door being fixed.
Junior resident Rachel Krouse has had difficulty with both the elevator and the door being non-operational because of a recently sprained ankle.
“I was in a lot of pain mostly every day due to my ankle and having to walk up and down three flights of stairs every time just for little things outside of class, really affected me,” said Krouse, who lives on the third floor.
She also recalled her experiences with the main breezeway elevator before it was officially shut down for maintenance, including “loud popping noises” from the door closing and noises while inside the elevator that left her “uncomfortable” about breakdowns.
“I had to walk all the way around the courtyard to just access a set of stairs that were open and accessible,” said Krouse, who could not use the set of stairs closest to her room, because it was the stairwell with the broken door.
The most recent update has been a sign placed on the broken door: “Maintenance is aware of this issue. A Work Order is already made. Please refrain from submitting additional work orders.”
This issue has raised some safety concerns among residents because of the door being propped open all of the time. University Housing told The Captain’s Log that the parts needed to fix the door have been ordered and will take about 3 to 4 weeks to arrive. In regards to students having safety concerns about the door being propped open, Housing said, “Ensuring safety is our top priority, and our team is working diligently to secure parts and complete repairs promptly. Taking steps to bypass security measures, like propping a door for convenience, should never occur. Residents can help maintain safety by promptly reporting any issues, ensuring all doors are closed properly, and immediately closing any doors found propped open.”
Keeping doors propped open can lead to further damage done to hinges and other parts, so Housing urges students to close any door they notice is propped.
