A power outage at Howard University has left some students without air conditioning or hot water just weeks after the fall semester began, WTOP News reports.
The students at Howard Plaza Towers East experienced a loss of power last week, leaving them in pitch-black hallways.
The residence hall has generators running to enhance power, but the students claim they were told the machines don’t have enough power to guarantee proper air conditioning, hot water, or working elevators. “I’m constantly sweating,” said Amariah Rambo, a sophomore nursing student who lives in the building.
The Washington, D.C.-based HBCU said the generators are providing full power to residence halls.
“No additional generators are needed. The issue with the East Tower air conditioner is related to the control panel, which was affected by the power outage,” a University spokesperson said. “A contractor is on location at the East Tower to restore the system.”
Rambo said going up and down nine flights of stairs is difficult, especially in the summer-to-fall weather.
“It’s causing a very uncomfortable situation for me.” Asia Moncrief, a sophomore majoring in political science, added. “The fact that I cannot get access to hot water to clean myself the right way, hygienically, is a problem. We’re all confused, and we feel like we’re in the dark.”
Moncrief said students cannot wash their clothes because the administration claims the generators aren’t powerful enough to use the washers and dryers. The Wi-Fi is also reportedly out.
“We haven’t gotten any accommodations. That’s the main thing that we haven’t seen from the university,” Moncrief said.
Moncrief and Rambo want school leaders to do more than provide cooling stations, fans, staff counseling, and have outside locations for personal hygiene. Providing alternate housing, such as hotels, would be ideal for them.
“My message to Howard University is to just do better,” Rambo said.
East Tower isn’t the only HU housing facility facing difficulty. Residents of Drew Hall have reportedly been dealing with water outages since Sept. 19. The news came just days before Howard was labeled as one of the “big movers” on U.S. News & World Report’s most recent top colleges and universities rankings.
Managing editor for education, LaMont Jones, linked Howard’s improved ranking to higher graduation rates among low-income students.
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