The lack of air conditioning in some dorms is shining light on which dorms have it best, although soon it could be cool for everyone.
At Williston, students in EMV, Wold, John Hazen White, and John Wright have air-conditioning, while two remaining dorms, Ford, and Mem West and East, don’t. These rooms, without air conditioning, typically get hot and humid in warmer weather, especially on the third floors.
PJ Gasasu, a three-year junior boarding student, does not like how some dorms have air conditioning while others don’t.
“I feel like it is unfair because some kids get to live good while other kids have to suffer,” he said.
Rowan Martin, a junior, feels that not having air conditioning in the dorm makes it hard for kids to sleep because of the heat.
“It is definitely unfair because when it’s hot out it makes it hard for people to sleep, but for the kids who have air conditioning, they get to sleep all bundled up,” Rowan said. “But it’s not the end of the world.
Kat Mayer, a 3-year senior boarder living in EMV from Massena N.Y., feels that all dorms should have air conditioning.
“I wouldn’t say it’s unfair because it’s when the dorms were built, but I do feel like they should work on getting AC in the rest of the dorms,” she said.
There are currently eight dorms on campus housing 286 boarding students. The number of students to a dorm varies from 50 students to 10. Soon, it’s possible the final two remaining dorms without A/C will get it.
In summer of 2023, according to CFO Peter Holden, Williston put a new HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, including air conditioning, in John Wright; they were able to do that, he told The Willistonian, because “there was already a plan to connect to the geothermal well under the Residential quad,” which made it easier when the school replaced John Wright’s previous HVAC infrastructure and tapped into the existing well. Holden said that project cost a little more than half a million dollars to complete.
Holden explained that the school is looking at the HVAC systems for Ford and Mem, and the school is currently doing an engineering study on the HVAC system in Ford. To put air conditioning in Ford and Mem, he explained, could include an option that would first involve building a new geothermal well under the academic quad, at an estimated cost in the low seven figures. The school would then have the foundation of a new HVAC system for the academic quad area, including expanded air conditioning capacity, in place to tie into the various buildings on the academic quad. This would be very beneficial when the school reengineers and replaces the Ford and Mem’s HVAC systems.
