The arrival of tropical depression Dennis on campus this weekend brought more than just rain-with it came a whole flood of problems.
Between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, facilities management employees received fifteen calls in reference to flooding and leaks, said the employee answering calls on the after-hours service line.
In the Biological Sciences Building's subbasement, approximately nine offices and labs flooded, said Don Watt, a facilities management employee working to clean up the mess.
Watt said most of the flooding was caused by a "stopped-up drain" and leaks through the walls of the very old building.
He explained that the flooding was first discovered by a professor, who then called the service office and alerted his colleagues whose offices may have flooded too.
Many dorm residents also found themselves dealing with rain-related problems. Beverly Asante, Trinity junior and co-president of Prism, discovered a leak in her room around noon-a leak that eventually caused the ceiling tile to fall in. "We called the police and they connected me with a facilities management emergency number," she said. "I'm not too worried about it, though, just a little annoyed."
In Brown Dormitory, two ceiling tiles in an upstairs hallway began to leak Saturday night, said Shannon Smith, a resident adviser and Trinity senior. "Thirty residents
Flooding was also reported in the basement of Brownstone, the Art Building on East Campus and in Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, among other locations.
The University response to the floods was slowed because only one general maintenance mechanic was working for much of the day Sunday, said the facilities employee who did not wish to be named. In the early afternoon, he added that he was trying to bring in back-up mechanics. Director of Facilities Management Jerry Black could not be reached for comment.
Barbara Baker, dean of student development, said that both housekeeping and facilities management were on call to handle the problems.
Senior Housekeeping Supervisor Howard Haskins said he heard about the flooding in Brownstone Sunday afternoon, when a co-worker called him at home to tell him that several areas of campus were drenched.
"I personally felt I'd come on in anyway, to check if my area was okay...," Haskins said. "We've had rains before, but nothing compares to what the rain is now."
The flooding around campus was not entirely confined to the indoors, however. Few students were able to avoid the standing water near the intersection of the Bryan Center walkway and Main West Quadrangle, and while many decided to just wade through it, others found it to be a hassle. "It's really annoying," said Trinity junior Stan Williams. "But I've seen it happen every time it rains like this. Maybe if they would just make the sidewalk even...."
Several student functions were also affected by the weather. The Class of 2001 tried to hold a picnic on Clocktower Quadrangle Saturday afternoon, but had to move under cover when it began to rain.
"It was kind of a class bonding thing," said Shirin Odar, president of the class and a Trinity student.
"We all worked together to move the tables under the archway between Clocktower and Crowell quads.... A lot of juniors were there, and surprisingly it ended up being very successful."
A party planned by Kilgo Quadrangle's quad council was without its beer trucks Saturday night after Dining Services called to say the trucks could not come due to the rain. "It was kind of sad because this is the second time we've tried to have this, and this is the second time it's rained," said Stacy Succop, president of Cleland Dormitory.
Despite the lack of beer trucks, the council moved the band into the commons room of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. "There were still a lot of people there, and it was a lot of fun," said Succop, an engineering junior.
Jaime Levy contributed to this story.
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