“Quite the Experience!” – University Hall Plagued by Elevator Malfunctions

At the campus’ most-recently constructed residence hall, the central mechanism for transporting students from the lobby to their rooms on the upper floors has been beset by numerous mechanical problems, leading to several students being stuck for hours on a number of occasions since August 25, 2021. 

Honors students, many of whom live in the Honors Living Learning Community on the fifth floor of University Hall, moved in on August 25^th, enjoying numerous entertaining activities throughout the afternoon, but the joy engendered by these events was quickly dashed by the southernmost elevator (located to the left when walking toward the elevator shafts) in University Hall coming to a screeching halt.

“It sure was quite the experience getting stuck in there,” said Andrew Pitoniak, one of the ten honors students (eight of which were first-year students) trapped inside the elevator by the third floor of University Hall on their first day at Westfield State University. Pitoniak was joined by his twin brother Matthew, enduring the sauna-like heat and humidity inside the elevator as the Westfield State University Police Department worked to get the ten students out of the elevator as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Those students would eventually escape the scorching hot temperatures in the elevator, with the elevator operational the following day.

Although seemingly returning to normal, the elevator would be stuck not once, but twice more, prompting university officials to invoke a mandate that only five students may use the elevator at any one time, with no jumping allowed, believing that the cause of the elevator malfunctions centers around capacity and misbehavior. One of these instances in particular, according to students familiar with the incident, involved bouts of jumping, seemingly putting a strain on the elevator. The southernmost elevator – which saw all of the aforementioned incidents – has a posted capacity inside of the elevator of twenty-one individuals, however.

The Westfield Voice reached out to Tricia Oliver, Chief of Staff and Public Records Officer, regarding communications and documents related to the elevators in University Hall over the past several weeks, as prescribed by Massachusetts General Law. She did not return our email with the requested documentation. 

Despite the lack of communication from the university, The Westfield Voice went to University Hall and uncovered documentation signed by Layla R. D’Emilia, Commissioner for the Office of Public Safety & Inspections at the Division of Occupational Licensure. The document indicated that the elevator, as of July 13, 2021 (a little more than two months prior to the first elevator malfunction of the academic year), was able to hold 3,500 pounds. With the average first-year student weighing 147 pounds according to The Chicago Tribune, the total weight on the elevator during the August 25^th incident would have been 1,470 pounds, more than 2,000 pounds less than the state said was the maximum it could hold.

In spite of the issuance of a sound inspection record for the southernmost elevator at University Hall, it is noted that should accidents occur, the university is to promptly call the aforementioned state agency. No word on whether the university has reached out to report the series of malfunctions in University Hall.

In the meantime, students are advised to follow all posted signs for the elevator and refrain from getting in an elevator with more than five people or jumping.