2008 Woodie Awards
Up, down: endless cycle of elevator repairs for Central
Issue date: 3/16/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
E-mails to students regarding elevator outages around campus have been misleading, because some of the elevators have been operational.
Barbara Mayfield, director of accessibility services said not all emails posting an elevator outage are accurate.
"It's a combination of things. Between routine maintenance or spot fixing, it just depends on the situation," Mayfield said.
As director of accessibility services, Mayfield sends out e-mails through Mulemail to notify students of issues with a given elevator.
"Most times, when I send out an e-mail, people from the physical plant are making routine maintenance calls on an elevator. Most instances the elevators are still operable for students who need to use them," Mayfield said.
Accessibility services tries to make the maintenance of elevators during times that have low traffic levels.
"We have a list of students that for one reason or another need to use the elevators around campus. We know where they are going to be and when their classes are around campus."
"At that time when we need to fix something, we decide to do so at a time when there are going to be a limited amount of people affected," Mayfield said.
For one day outages, in which some students are not able to attend classes, Mayfield notifies the professors and accommodations are met for those students.
However, when an elevator outage lasts for several days, the office of accessibility services works with professors to find a classroom accessible for students unable to attend class without the assistance of an elevator.
"Sometimes it happens," Mayfield said. "At that time, we work with the professors to find classrooms to accommodate them and the students who could not attend otherwise without the assistance of an elevator."
Not all elevator outages are due to wear and tear over the course of time.
"The instance at South Yeater earlier this semester had to do with a student tossing a metal object down the elevator shaft damaging the elevator," Mayfield said.
She said the vandalism led to extensive upgrading of the elevator.
Brenda Moeder, associate director of university housing, said wheelchair-bound students were not affected by the outage.
"Handicapped students which need elevator assistance are placed on the main level of the university housing buildings, because if an elevator does go out, then they still are capable of getting to and from their housing unit," Moeder said.
"Fixing little things that go wrong with the elevators is the best option for the university at this point. To completely upgrade a given elevator will cost between $200 and $250,000.To upgrade our elevators will take some extensive planning and money," Mayfield said.
Barbara Mayfield, director of accessibility services said not all emails posting an elevator outage are accurate.
"It's a combination of things. Between routine maintenance or spot fixing, it just depends on the situation," Mayfield said.
As director of accessibility services, Mayfield sends out e-mails through Mulemail to notify students of issues with a given elevator.
"Most times, when I send out an e-mail, people from the physical plant are making routine maintenance calls on an elevator. Most instances the elevators are still operable for students who need to use them," Mayfield said.
Accessibility services tries to make the maintenance of elevators during times that have low traffic levels.
"We have a list of students that for one reason or another need to use the elevators around campus. We know where they are going to be and when their classes are around campus."
"At that time when we need to fix something, we decide to do so at a time when there are going to be a limited amount of people affected," Mayfield said.
For one day outages, in which some students are not able to attend classes, Mayfield notifies the professors and accommodations are met for those students.
However, when an elevator outage lasts for several days, the office of accessibility services works with professors to find a classroom accessible for students unable to attend class without the assistance of an elevator.
"Sometimes it happens," Mayfield said. "At that time, we work with the professors to find classrooms to accommodate them and the students who could not attend otherwise without the assistance of an elevator."
Not all elevator outages are due to wear and tear over the course of time.
"The instance at South Yeater earlier this semester had to do with a student tossing a metal object down the elevator shaft damaging the elevator," Mayfield said.
She said the vandalism led to extensive upgrading of the elevator.
Brenda Moeder, associate director of university housing, said wheelchair-bound students were not affected by the outage.
"Handicapped students which need elevator assistance are placed on the main level of the university housing buildings, because if an elevator does go out, then they still are capable of getting to and from their housing unit," Moeder said.
"Fixing little things that go wrong with the elevators is the best option for the university at this point. To completely upgrade a given elevator will cost between $200 and $250,000.To upgrade our elevators will take some extensive planning and money," Mayfield said.