BOSTON (WHDH/AP) — The University of Massachusetts Boston is promising to fix a litany of problems at the longtime commuter school’s first on-campus dormitory.
The Boston Globe first reported that the college’s interim chancellor informed students via email Sunday that their complaints recounted in the newspaper would be addressed.
Students spoke of poor security, unauthorized guests in common areas, broken elevators, lack of hot water, and undercooked hamburgers in the dining hall.
“For the first couple of weeks, the turnstiles to come in were broken,” freshman Tanner Boyd told 7News. “There was really no way to identify who was coming in.”
Freshman Noah Schulman explained that the elevators have been “pretty much” out of order “at least once a week.”
Another student, who asked to remain anonymous, said she has fallen ill after eating an array of different foods in the dining hall.
“Some of the food I’ve eaten, which could be anything from pizza or chicken, sometimes made me sick in the stomach,” the student said.
Interim chancellor Katherine Newman called the problems “unacceptable” and promised to hold responsible the company that built the dorm.
“It is important that you know how the university is addressing these issues because this is your home and your safety and comfort are my responsibility as Chancellor,” she wrote. “Construction of residence halls was an important milestone in the history of UMass-Boston. It’s important that we get it right, and I am personally committed to making that happen.”
Newman says security has already been upgraded with uniformed guards.
The $140 million dorm that opened this fall houses more than 1,000 students.
Capstone Development, which built the dorm, says it has addressed many problems and is waiting for parts to fix others.
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