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“101” is the number that on-campus students never hoped to see on their weather app.
In the same cubicle room that hardly fits a fridge and a bed, having no A/C (air conditioning) has been a problem up to this year, but not to the point of safety regulation. With temperatures rising and no way to keep students safe, Housing and Residence Life did the best they could to keep students safe: relocating them.
Sarah Olcott, the Director of Housing and Residence Life at Winona State University, talks about her empathy towards those living in the dorms.
“I understand [the accommodations we provided] are not ideal, but I have listed every building that has A/C,” Olcott said.
Olcott lists these buildings, such as the main floor of Sheehan Hall (where normally students are not allowed to sleep in the lounges, but since the weather, those rules are momentarily diminished), Kryzsko Commons, Haake Hall, and Kirkland Hall.
“Last week we opened up Kryzsko Commons to students. 25 slept there the first night and 50 the second night,” Olcott stated.
Some students, although extremely uncomfortable, did not choose the air-conditioned option. Many were confused on what would be provided for them in these spaces and were apprehensive about sleeping with a bunch of strangers for the first week of school.
Provided in the lounges were camping mats the first week of school for students to sleep on, and this past weekend (9/2 and 9/3), emergency cots are in the works to be provided.
Jordan Becvar, a fourth-year student, speaks about her perspective as a student living in the QUAD.
“I would have felt more uncomfortable with my blanket and pillow touching Kryszko’s floor than I would in my room and that is truly saying something because my entire body was sticking to my bed,” Becvar said.
Becvar said that the only thing that has helped her during this heat is staying in air-conditioned buildings as long as she can before she must go to bed.
Kahealani Wakinekona, a fourth-year student who also lives in the QUAD talks about her similar experience in not choosing the alternative option to staying in the dorms.
“This whole experience has been horrible. Being a new student, my dorm has been my safe space. So even if I am extremely uncomfortable in my dorm, the experience is better than being extremely uncomfortable in Kryszko,” Wakinekona stated.
Wakinekona said that what has been helpful for her is sleeping in the floor of her closet, as she states that it is the coolest point in her room.
Wakinekona continued speaking about the rising temperatures, speaking about her experience growing up in Alaska. She has seen the effects of climate change close-up and personal, watching glaciers diminish over time.
“Even in Minnesota, we should not be having 100-degree weather, it’s scary,” Wakinekona said.
For everyone, in the dorms and off-campus: please continue to drink water and take breaks through this heat. Fall will get here soon enough, but for now safety needs to be kept in mind.
