Upon returning from break, a number of Marguerite Hall residents
discovered that all electrical appliances, including their
mini-fridges, had been unplugged.

According to the Department of Housing and Residence Life, the
units were unplugged due to a miscommunication. In previous years,
the staff unplugged the refrigerators and thought the procedures
were the same this year.

Resident Advisers and staff were instructed to unplug all
electrical appliances while performing health and safety
checks.

However, students were not informed of this. Shortly before
Thanksgiving break, Housing and Residence Life sent all residential
students an e-mail in which the rules and regulations for what
students living in both the resident halls and apartments should do
before leaving.

In the rules for residence halls, there was no mention that
electrical appliances should be unplugged.

All reported incidents of units being unplugged have occurred in
Marguerite Hall.

The building coordinator, Paul Seidl, has received eight
complaints about residents’ units being unplugged. Seidl declined
to comment on the incident.

Housing and Residence Life was not aware of any messes due to
the unplugging of these appliances.

“We are prepared to compensate the students that have come
forward to the building coordinator,” said Shawn Swinigan, director
of Residence Life.

Roommates Megan Fuchs and Monica Reicks made sure that the surge
protectors were unplugged from the electrical outlet before
leaving.

Upon returning there were cords scattered in the middle of their
room. Apparently the residence life staff had unplugged all the
cords from the surge protectors, said Fuchs.

“When I opened our fridge, there was an awful smell,” said
Fuchs. “We had to throw out all the food.”

According to Jessie Navin, a sophomore, she and her roommate
were unsure about whether or not they were supposed to unplug items
before leaving.

“After checking our e-mail accounts and seeing that there were
no specific instructions, we left everything plugged in,” Navin
said.

Navin was surprised upon returning to her dorm and opening her
fridge, when she discovered mold growing. “It reeked, and we spent
over an hour cleaning the fridge out with bleach,” she added.

“I did not appreciate it because I had food in the fridge and it
was lost,” said one Marguerite resident. “There needed to be better
communication between the RAs and students as to what we are
actually to do before we leave for break.”

Residence Life has apologized to the students that were effected
by this incident.

“We feel this is a simple mistake that happened to a limited
number of individuals, and we are working directly with them to
remedy their concerns,” Swinigan said.

“We will continue to educate residents of our expectations and
make sure we have intentional conversations with the student staff
checking the rooms and cover issues that have happened in the
past.”