Housing Services has a Time Machine
More than a year later, I now have a wonderful addition to my rant about Carnegie Mellon Housing Services. I’d like to note for historical purposes that I did in fact talk to the “Dean of Student Life” about the incidents I described in that article. Of course, at the time, the “Dean of Student Life” also happened to be the head of Housing Services (or the CEO, depending on how you view Housing Services). He whole-heartedly agreed with me that Housing Services is run like a separate company, but became quite offended when I described it as a cold corporation.
Apparently for some reason or another, Housing’s money has to remain completely separate from the rest of the University and they must make money on their own—in fact, they have great pressure to at least break even, if not make a profit, every year. In a University community setting, I contend that this makes no goddamn sense. The people who run the University disagree with me. But that’s all in the past now, since I moved off-campus and am quite happy for having done so. I really do prefer on-campus life more, but not when it’s under the control of Housing Services.
It’s important to understand that if you have some sort of problem with your room, you must report it through Housing Service’s web site, where the staff supposedly sorts complaints and figures out which will be delt with when. For the most part, you might as well be writing a letter to Santa Claus when you ask that they patch a hole in your window screen (heaven forbid you be protected from the wasp nest right outside your window). Today I received two emails from my friends. Emails which they forwarded to me today. Emails which they received today.
From: Housing Maintenance hmaint2@andrew...
Date: October 27, 2005 12:18:45 PM EDT
To: danieldickison@...
Subject: Maintenance Request (ACK W094239)Dear Resident,
This message is to inform you that the maintenance request you submitted
on 2/7/2003 with a description of:-------------------------------------------------------------
"THE THERMOSTAT IS BROKEN. IT MAKES A CONSTAN-->"
-------------------------------------------------------------in Morewood Gardens 4-D-5 (4D5 NEAR ENTRANCE) has been received by the
Office of
Housing Services.REQUEST NUMBER: W094239
EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE: 2/10/2003After this job is completed, we will send you a mail message so that you
can confirm that the work has been completed and provide feedback about
the quality of service received. If you have any questions, please call
the Office of Housing Services at x8-8700 or send e-mail to hmaint2 by
responding to this message. Please include the above Request Number as
well as your building and room number in any correspondence regarding
this request.Thank you for your maintenance request.
Housing Services
Note the dates. Especially the years. Yeah.
From: Housing Maintenance hmaint2@andrew...
Date: 27 October 2005 12:20:06 PM
To: egwynn@andrew...
Subject: Maintenance Request (ACK W091459)Dear Resident,
This message is to inform you that the maintenance request you submitted
on 11/19/2002 with a description of:-------------------------------------------------------------
"HEATING PIPES CLANKING LOUDLY AND INCESSANTLY."
-------------------------------------------------------------in Donner Hall (A5 OMNICIENT IN HAL) has been received by the Office of
Housing Services.REQUEST NUMBER: W091459
EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE: 11/21/2002After this job is completed, we will send you a mail message so that you
can confirm that the work has been completed and provide feedback about
the quality of service received. If you have any questions, please call
the Office of Housing Services at x8-8700 or send e-mail to hmaint2 by
responding to this message. Please include the above Request Number as
well as your building and room number in any correspondence regarding
this request.Thank you for your maintenance request.
Housing Services
Note that both of these people moved off-campus like I did. Probably because they hated Housing. I wonder why.