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.ย
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 donโt have enough power to guarantee proper air conditioning, hot water, or working elevators. โIโm constantly sweating,โ 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.
โNo 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,โ a University spokesperson said.ย โA contractor is on location at the East Tower to restore the system.โย
Rambo said going up and down nine flights of stairs is difficult, especially in the summer-to-fall weather.
โItโs causing a very uncomfortable situation for me.โ Asia Moncrief, a sophomore majoring in political science, added. โThe fact that I cannot get access to hot water to clean myself the right way, hygienically, is a problem. Weโre all confused, and we feel like weโre in the dark.โย
Moncrief said students cannot wash their clothes because the administration claims the generators arenโt powerful enough to use the washers and dryers. The Wi-Fi is also reportedly out.
โWe havenโt gotten any accommodations. Thatโs the main thing that we havenโt seen from the university,โ 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.
โMy message to Howard University is to just do better,โ Rambo said.
East Tower isnโt 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 โbig moversโ on U.S. News & World Reportโs most recent top colleges and universities rankings.ย ย
Managing editor for education, LaMont Jones, linked Howardโs improved ranking to higher graduation rates among low-income students.
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