A K LEO T H E
FRIDAY, MARCH 1 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2013 VOLUME 108 ISSUE 60
Serving the students of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
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TOO COLD TO HANDLE K ELLY Z AKIMI Contributing Writer Failures in the pilot fl ame igniter and the pressure relief valve are the culprits behind the recent lack of hot water for residents in Hale Aloha Ilima, Hale Aloha Lokelani and Frear Halls. Problems persist even though all water heating systems are examined by private contractors under Student Housing Services multiple times a year. According to SHS Associate Director for Operations Dana Yoshimura, high winds frequenting the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa are causing more malfunctions in the water heating systems than usual. Student Housing Services is collaborating with the private maintenance contractors to remedy these malfunctions as quickly as possible and ensure possible problems in the future are avoided. “For example, we plan to purchase attic stock of various components in order to have these parts available on-hand to avoid repair delays due to shipping,” Yoshimura said in an email inter view. Students can also do their part to alleviate the hot water shortages by taking shorter showers. “Shortages may also be related to peak period of high water usage. Less consumption during peak periods may help,” Yoshimura said. Freshman Nick Farrant, a resident in Hale A loha L okelani, is one of the students affected by the shortage. “It is a bummer when I can’t take a hot shower, but we have hot water 90 percent of the time,” he said. “People should be more grateful for what they have and patient.”
OV E R A L L H O U S I N G M A I N T E N A N C E UH housing is maintained by SHS Operations and private contractors for services such as custodial
work, waste disposal and extermination. Residents who have maintenance problems in their room or common areas can submit an online service request through the Pilikia system. Requests are reviewed each workday and then assigned to the appropriate group for repair, enabling
staff to quickly address maintenance problems. “Usually they fix problems within two days – they are really quick about it,” said Frear Hall resident Jennifer Wong. “And if it is not done the way it’s supposed to be, you can always call them back, and they’ll be willing to help.” This willingness is also appreciated by Heather Schulz and Francesca Koethe, residents of Hale Noelani. “The workers are usually very friendly and really professional,” Koethe said. However, both Koethe and Schulz said they wish for better quality work the fi rst time a maintenance problem is cited. “My door just broke a couple of weeks ago,” Schulz said. “They came to fi x the door right away, but they left and it was still not fi xed. And they came back, but it’s still not fi xed to this day. I don’t think they spent enough time on it to make sure it worked properly – completely.”
A DM I N I S T R AT I O N I M P ROV E M E N T S Koethe believes that the administration should be friendlier and more willing to help with maintenance issues.
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“When we had maggots, we brought the bag to the RD [Residence Director],” Koethe said. “He didn’t really look twice at us. When we had bedbugs, they didn’t compensate for anything. “They gave us an extra room, but we had to move all of our stuff by ourselves – no one helped us. They aren’t very accommodating.” Farrant, who also had to move out of his room because of a bedbug infestation, agreed that improvements can be made. “I feel like a lot of the slowness is from administration,” he said. “I had to go through the Resident Director to get all these forms, but he is busy – he has all these different concerns. Maybe if it was someone’s specific job to just be there so you can tell them when there is a problem.”
Report
FRIDAY
N: W: S: E:
8 -15+ f t. 5 -10+ f t. 0 - 3 f t. 5 - 9 f t.
SATURDAY N: W: S: E:
6 -12 f t. 5-9 f t. 0 - 3 f t. 3 -7+ f t.
Students who wish to file a Pilikia may do so at manoa. hawaii.edu/ housing/pilikia. CAROLINE ANDERSON KA LEO O HAWAI‘I
SUNDAY
N: W: S: E:
5-9 f t. 3-5+ f t. 1- 3 f t. 3-7+ f t.