Many students that live in campus housing on Eastern Michigan University’s campus do not have the amenities of air conditioning, with 10 of the 12 residence hall complexes and all of the apartment complexes lacking air conditioning.
In the summer of 2016 Wise hall, the largest residence hall at EMU, had air conditioning installed into its dorms during renovations.
“The total budget for Wise, I believe, was about $2 million,” said Colleen Tompkins, assistant director of housing and residence life on campus. However, according to information from an EMU news release the overall Wise hall renovation project will cost a total of $11.2 million, a drastically larger amount than cited by Tompkins.
Renovations in addition to air conditioning included window and curtain wall replacement, exterior façade improvements, complete new and primary electrical service, and new finishes and furniture. Future renovations planned for the summer of 2017 will include common-area air conditioning and an upgrade for the elevators.
Students residing in residence halls can pay as little as $4,100 depending on which hall they choose to stay in, while students residing in on-campus apartments can pay as much as $6,500. Although students have the option to pick their place of residency for the most part, not every student who wants air conditioning has it despite how much they pay for housing.
The EMU Housing and Residence Life Guide to Campus Living states that, “Air conditioners are prohibited in most residence halls,” and the only exceptions to request the installation of one can be made for students living in Cornell Courts, Westview and the 601 West Forest property. Other nearby universities that do not offer air conditioning housing complexes include a policy that allows some personal air conditioners to be installed upon request and approval, such as Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.
When asked if there are any future housing renovations Tompkins said, “There has been no discussion, to my knowledge, or any other buildings slated to undergo major renovations of this kind any time soon.”
