August 10, 2010
Lack of air conditioning affects 11 buildings
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale Chancellor Rita Cheng declared a partial administrative closure this morning (Aug. 10) for 11 campus buildings that are without air conditioning.
Affected buildings are: James W. Neckers Building; Engineering Wings A, B, D and E; Applied Arts and Sciences; Parkinson Laboratory; Faner Hall Wing A; Student Recreation Center; Student Center; SIU Arena; Lingle Hall; Anthony Hall; and Dorothy R. Davies Hall.
Classes are not in session. The fall semester begins Aug. 23.
The closure is in effect today from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Employees who regularly work 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. were asked to check with their supervisor to see if the partial closure applied to them. Supervisors may require employees to remain for critical services. All Physical Plant employees are to report to work as scheduled.
Employees with air conditioning are expected to remain on the job.
Philip S. Gatton, director of Plant and Service Operations, said a chiller in the Neckers Building, one of two main chillers on campus, failed about 7 p.m. Monday. Physical plant employees worked on the chiller throughout the night. Gatton said room temperatures were already at 80 degrees at 5 a.m. today. In addition, there were concerns about the high humidity causing condensation on floors.
Gatton said that following repairs, the chiller will be tested and once it is restored, it will take the rest of today and throughout the night to cool the affected buildings.