Over the weekend, Massachusetts College of Art and Design students were uprooted from their dormitories when a faulty sprinkler system triggered an unexpected evacuation. As reported by NBC10 Boston, the Tree House Residence Hall was emptied by 10:30 p.m. Friday night, with students shuffled to temporary housing. The college has not released the number of students affected.
A college spokesperson shared that an external contractor has been brought in to address the repair needs urgently. The concern for student safety mirrors the urgency, despite the sprinkler system being a reoccuring issue throughout the year. The campus otherwise remains open, with classes proceeding on schedule, except for freshman classes which are canceled come Monday.
However, students' accounts suggest that the response was less than satisfactory. Per a CBS Boston interview with freshman named Shaelyn, the remedial housing options were limited, driving some students to spend the night in common areas of nearby schools or, in more desperate instances, without proper accommodations. "If you did not have friends to sleep in their dorm, you'd have to sleep in the common room. Without financial aid I pay 75,000 dollars out of pocket. I can't even sleep in the place that I work so hard to be at," Shaelyn detailed her frustration.
Emma, another freshman, compared her temporary housing to "living in a storage closet," underscoring the makeshift nature of their arrangements with just "a pillow and a blanket" provided. Tension mounts as Faith, also a freshman, recounted texts from friends desperately seeking shelter in the early hours. Yet, in a statement obtained by CBS Boston, school officials assure that they are housing residents in proper dorm room accommodations.
The faulty sprinklers highlight a deeper issue within the dormitory infrastructure, which students say has been problematic for a while. "First it was we don't have a kitchen, our laundry hasn't been working. We've been going to this building over here to do our laundry for the last two weeks because of this pipe issue," Shaelyn told CBS Boston, indicating systemic neglect.
MassArt officials have promised a swift solution with the building slated to reopen to students by Monday. This malfunction, beyond the immediate disruption, raises questions about the ongoing issues within their living facilities and the college's capacity to deliver the stability their hefty tuition ought to guarantee.
