ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – A widespread heating outage affecting 21 buildings at Oakland University has disrupted end-of-semester activities and forced significant changes to finals week, prompting the university to reimburse students whose on-campus housing is being impacted.
The university originally cancelled classes the week of Thanksgiving to repair a high-temperature hot water pipe system. The discovery of a new leak during repairs has now left the majority of the campus without heat as students prepare for final exams.
“They moved most of the finals online, or they’re trying to pack them into a building that does have heat,” said student Zachary Green.
The university has instructed faculty in affected buildings to transition to remote learning for the remainder of the semester, with limited classroom space available for classes that need in-person instruction and exams.
If continuing face-to-face instruction, staff must offer a hybrid option for students who are unable to return to campus.
Many students living in dorms that have been closed due to the outage are now staying off campus.
Those who are still making the trip to campus for classes say they’re having to make long commutes.
“It’s like a 40-minute drive every day, and we just go to the dining hall, get some food, and then we have to go back home,” said Donnathon Dobson, who has been making the drive from Southfield. “That’s a lot of stress on gas.”
Brian Bierley, the director of media relations for Oakland University, said students whose housing was directly affected by the outage will receive some reimbursement, but he couldn’t provide specific details.
Students who were forced to move off campus say they’ve received notifications about adjustments to their room and board costs.
“I got an email saying that basically through November and December, when I was supposed to be in the dorm is going to be paid off for my winter semester,” said Corrine Morris.
However, students who were given temporary housing in the two remaining dorms on campus that still have heat say they aren’t being given the same compensation.
“If you were placed in temporary housing, you did not receive an email about reimbursement because they did house you somewhere else, which I do feel like that is unfair because everyone here paid their money,” said Kamryn Humphrey.
Humphrey said she hasn’t received any information from the university about room and board reimbursement.
With the closures expected to last at least until the end of the semester, she feels that all students displaced by the outage should be compensated.
“I paid an extra $2,000 on top of my room and board to have a room by myself. Now I’m in Hillcrest living with four other people, which is not what I paid for,” Humphrey said.
Bierley said the university plans to have repairs done in time for commencement ceremonies on Friday, Dec. 12th and Saturday, Dec. 13th.
He said another campus update will be sent out on Friday (Dec. 5).