Tuesday’s Boiler Update—Good News! [December 12]
Dear Campus Community,
I am pleased to share that we are making good progress on the repair of the North Campus boiler system. Heat has begun to return to Meier Hall and the Sullivan Building, although we expect it may take another 24-hours until all of the floors in both buildings are comfortable. With this positive progress, we have every indication that we can return to normal activities on Thursday.
Students, this means that final exams will take place in-person unless your faculty members have made alternative plans during the past several days. Please check Canvas and your SSU email account to see if there are any messages about your exams from your professors.
I want to thank the entire campus community for their flexibility and support during this unexpected issue. I am particularly grateful to the facilities team for their efforts to get us back online.
Sincerely,
Karen House
Vice President for Finance and Facilities
Monday’s North Campus Boiler/Heat Update [December 11]
Dear Campus Community,
We have made progress over the weekend and repair work is proceeding on the North Campus boilers. As part of the testing process, we are beginning to send limited steam heat to Meier Hall and the Sullivan Building. We’ll know more tomorrow as we hope to reach a milestone with this project.
Thank you again for your patience and we will continue to provide a daily update.
Karen House
Vice President of Finance and Facilities
Today’s North Campus Boiler/Heat Update [December 8]
Dear Campus Community,
As we approach the weekend, I just want you to know that the North Campus boiler repair project is proceeding according to schedule. Things are moving forward as expected and we’ll have more information on Monday evening.
Sincerely,
Karen House
Vice President of Finance and Facilities
Loaner Laptops Available to Students [December 8]
Dear Students,
The recent disruption to North Campus facilities presents unexpected challenges as the end of the semester draws near. We ask that you keep working closely with your dedicated faculty and take advantage of the university resources available to support you in completing your courses, assignments, and final exams and papers successfully.
Information Technology Services has a limited number of laptops available for short-term loan to any students who may need one. Students who do not have access to a laptop can initiate a request for one at this link.
Laptops may be picked up as of 1pm today in Stanley Building Rom 201. As you enter the Stanley Building from Loring Avenue, turn left and go up the stairs to access Room 201; or an elevator is located further inside the building.
Keep in mind that available computer and computer lab resources across campus include:
- Berry Library and Learning Commons, with over 150 computer workstations;
- Harrington (Central) Campus Classroom Building’s first floor computer lab;
- South Campus Harrington Building first floor computer lab;
- Ellison Campus Center, with several computers in the first floor Commuter Lounge.
Remember that the array of university academic support services available (e.g., Writing Center, Math Lab, Center for Academic Excellence, First Year Experience, etc.) continue to provide services on campus and/or remotely. Please continue to access these services as needed.
You've invested a great deal of your time, effort, and resources into this semester already. We understand that these facility issues have interrupted day-to-day operations in many classes. We appreciate your flexibility and perseverance. Please continue to access the support or resources available to enable you to finish your semester strong.
Sincerely,
David Silva, Provost and Academic Vice President
Nate Bryant, Vice President of Student Success
Pres. Keenan: Thank you for your support [December 7]
Dear Campus Community,
I want to thank everyone on campus for their flexibility, patience and support through the disruption on North Campus we’ve been experiencing this week. Not having heat in important academic buildings has caused frustration, particularly as we are so close to the end of the fall semester. So many students and faculty members have had to pivot during this crucial period. Whether you had to change your modality to remote, reschedule events or scramble to find new meeting locations, I am grateful to our North Campus faculty and administrators for their partnership and to others on campus for their support.
I want to acknowledge the tremendous work that Vice President House and her facilities team have done to quickly organize the repairs and to secure the necessary parts—not an easy task with today’s supply chain issues—to get North Campus operational again.
We have encouraging news that the one repaired boiler continues to provide heat to limited spaces. This success gives us hope that our methods are working and, although not guaranteed, we will be able to meet the timeline previously shared by Vice President House, including holding final exams as scheduled. Again, it is too soon to make promises about next week.
Please continue to visit this webpage for updates about operations, including dining, ITS, the copy center, and how human resources is now temporarily working in the finance area of the Administration Building. As a reminder, this weekend’s theatre performances of Antigone will be staged in the Sophia as scheduled, and I hope many of you will attend.
It has been a difficult fall semester for our campus, and I am grateful for everyone’s support during this challenging campus disruption.
Sincerely,
John D. Keenan
President
Today’s North Campus Boiler System Update [December 7]
Dear Colleagues,
We’ve had some positive news about our North Campus boiler situation. One boiler is currently operational again, although with reduced service, and is providing some heat to the Sophia Gordon Center. Our service provider is working to repair both boilers and we are making better than anticipated progress on restoring them. This provider will be doing preparatory work over the next few days so they will be able to install essential parts which will arrive on Monday. Renting a boiler as previously communicated has become a less viable option due to delivery and set-up time.
Most classes in the affected buildings will continue to be held remotely through December 12 as previously communicated. Students, some of your faculty members have been able to locate alternative spaces to hold class on campus. This means that some classes will be able to be held in-person and not remotely. Please check your SSU email account for messages from your professors and log into Canvas frequently to stay updated about class modality and locations. Also, School of Continuing and Professional Studies and School of Graduate Studies classes will be able to meet in-person on reading day, December 13; however, the location may be different. You will receive more information about those classes in a future update.
I am delighted to share that the theatre department will be able to stage its performances of Antigone as originally scheduled in the Sophia on Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday matinee (tickets are available here) due to one boiler partially operating. The ITS computer and faculty support team normally located in Meier Hall has temporarily relocated to room 201 in the Stanley Building. The copy center in Meier Hall is not operating currently. We are working to make arrangements with Staples and another longtime printing partner to assist the community with their printing needs. Please contact copycenter@salemstate.edu with questions. Dunkin Donuts is closed, and the North Campus Café remains open during its regularly scheduled hours of operation.
Thank you again for your patience during this unexpected facilities issue.
Sincerely,
Karen House
Vice President for Finance and Facilities
Update: Human resources is now temporarily working in the finance area of the Administration Building
North Campus Boiler Update [December 5]
Most classes on this campus will be held remotely through the end of the semester on December 12
Dear Campus Community Members,
Unfortunately, we have received more disappointing news about the repair of our existing North Campus boilers, both of which have failed recently. We plan to bring in a temporary boiler for the heat plant that serves both Meier Hall and the Sullivan Building. However, this equipment is not located nearby, and the connection process takes time. Simultaneously, we will also be working to repair both boilers and bring them back on-line as soon as possible.
After conferring with the university’s crisis response team, including Provost Silva, I am announcing that through the end of classes on Tuesday, December 12, day and evening classes normally held in the spaces listed below will remain remote:
• Meier Hall
• Sullivan Building
• Sophia Gordon Center
• Administration Building (first floor)
The temperature in the buildings has dropped. Staff whose workspaces are in those buildings should also plan to work remote during this time. We are doing everything possible to ensure that final exams may take place in the location originally planned and will continue to provide the community with updates. Again, I am grateful to everyone for your patience during this extremely challenging facilities situation.
Sincerely,
Karen House
Vice President for Finance and Facilities
North Campus Boiler Update—Check Email Tomorrow Morning [December 4]
Dear Campus Community,
Our facilities team along with outside contractors have been able to secure the parts and make the necessary boiler system repairs. The team will be testing the system throughout the night to make sure it is functioning properly so hopefully classes can resume as normally scheduled.
We will be sending out a campus email tomorrow morning before 7 am to let the community know how classes in Meier Hall and the Sullivan Building, along with other spaces, will be held.
Thank you for your patience as we work quickly to safely resolve this issue.
Sincerely,
Karen House
Vice President for Finance and Facilities
Most North Campus Classes Moved Online for Monday, December 4 [December 3]
Dear Campus Community Members,
Due to a boiler plant issue discovered over the weekend, all classes normally held in-person in MOST North Campus buildings will take place online tomorrow, Monday, December 4. This change in modality includes all evening classes. Students are encouraged to check their course pages in Canvas to get additional information from the professors who teach classes in Sullivan and Meier.
This change impacts classes (and offices) normally held in:
- Meier Hall
- Sullivan Building
- Sophia Gordon Center
- Administration Building (first floor)
Buildings not impacted by this problem, and will be open tomorrow, include:
- Berry Library and Learning Commons
- Ellison Campus Center
- North Campus Café
- Administration Building’s finance and FYE departments (second floor)
I apologize for this disruption and inconvenience, but with the dropping temperatures, I want to ensure a safe teaching environment.
Sincerely,
Karen House
Vice President for Finance and Facilities