Hoffman outlets cause problems

Students in Hoffman Hall (located across the street from Roop Hall) are prohibited form using extension cords.

This can cause a problem for Hoffman residents, becuase the building has aged wiring and outdated and ill-placed outlets.

As a resident of Hoffman Hall, sophomore Alison MacDonald finds living there difficult without air-conditioning and the new rule that extension cords cannot be used, according to senior Caroline Chin, Hoffman Hall director. "(Not using extension cords) makes it tough for us to live comfortably here," Macdonald said. "Fans need extension cords to be in windows. Since we can’t use them and there is no air conditioning, it becomes very hot, especially on the third floor," Macdonald said.

The issue that remains with Hoffman Hall is the location of outlets and plugs. There are four plugs per resident, but these plugs are on one side of the room. This predicament makes not having extension cords difficult for the resident on opposite sides of the room. To add to the issue, the plugs are two-prong outlets. For this, students have to purchase an adaptor for all three-prong appliances. "Our residents have been really great, considering the circumstances they were put into," Chin said.

Although Hoffman’s aged wiring is an inconvenience that all residents deal with, everyone seems to be complying with the codes. "There were 34 IDOCS out of roughly 150 residents. I was really surprised because I was expecting a lot more due to the new policies," junior Chris Scott, resident adviser said.

According to Fred Hilton, director of media relations, there are plans to renovate Hoffman, but not for a while.

Along with the RAs’ frequent checking of the hall for fire violations, there is an annual inspection by the state fire marshall. Makinga thorough inspection of the doors, the sprinklers, exit signs, stairwells and smoke detectors. Bill Pooton, the regional engineer of the Northern Region State Fire Marshal, said that students should not prop open the doors to the stairwells. "We find that to be a repetitive violation, stairway doors."

Pooton, who also works with George Mason University and Mary Washington University’s campuses, said students should make sure that their smoke detectors are functional.

He also cautioned residents not to tamper with them because it could affect the operation of the device. "One of our major concerns deals with the smoke alarms," Pooton said. "If students observe a fault in their detectors, they should bring it to their RA’s attention."