Citing mechanical and structural issues in the Munger Place Annex, Albion College officials announced that the apartment building will be closed for the spring 2014 semester.
Forty-one students living in the Annex were informed via email on Wednesday, Jan. 7 that they would be relocated to Seaton Hall.
Due to lack of food preparation equipment in Seaton Hall, the displaced students were offered a reduced rate on a College board plan and a small refund on their housing bill. Their overall room rate will be the same as in Munger.
“Structure and system issues [including] some wall structures, ceiling grids and mechanical systems” prompted the closing, according to Sarah Briggs, vice president of communications for Albion College.
Briggs provided no specifics about the severity or location of the issues, but said that a Facilities Operations inspection discovered them in Nov. 2013.
“There was no immediate threat to student well-being,” Briggs said. “However, the issues were such that moving the students to different housing was the best course of action.”
Briggs added that no other residence halls on campus were affected by similar issues. When pressed for specifics, Briggs claimed that the issue was still under study.
“We will share more information as it becomes available,” said Mike Frandsen, interim president.
Students’ reactions to the closing were mixed.
Olivia Wardle, Rochester senior, and Tsiporah Davis, Macomb senior, are affected by the closing.
“I guess I don’t really mind the change because were back on campus again and we get our own room,” Wardle said. “It’s just frustrating that they didn’t tell us sooner to be able to move and that we have to eat at Baldwin again as seniors.”
Tsiporah Davis, Macomb senior, looked on the bright side.
“We have a roof over our head and food to eat,” Davis said. “We really have nothing to complain about. At least they are significantly reducing the prices for us.”
Wardle was less impressed with the accommodations.
“I have friends at a state school and when a similar situation happened to them their accommodation was complementary for the remainder of the year,” she said.
Photo by Spencer White
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