SARAH CARRILLO
Assistant News Editor
GRAHAM SHEA/ASSISTANT Photo Editor
HOTEL CALIFORNIA: Sophomore Nick Robbins, of Dorm 13, works on his homework and watches television in his bedroom in the Executive Suites at the Drescher campus.
On Aug. 29, a typical on-campus dweller may have been crouched in the middle of a Towers cubby-hole, attempting to loft a bed amidst a sea of unpacked boxes, all the while cursing the housing gods and grumbling about the poor lighting and low ceilings.
While this may have been the case for the majority of new and returning students alike, fate held a very different plan for the unsuspecting residents Dorm 13.
Rather than dragging their belongings into their new on-campus abode, the men of Dorm 13 (also known as Eaton) found themselves living in temporary housing the entire first week of the semester.
Days prior to move-in weekend, a flood occurred on the first floor of the dorm, causing intense structural damage to both A and C suites of the residence hall.
“The flood originated in the C suite of Eaton,” said Jim Brock, director of Housing and Community Living. “Upon further investigation it was found that there were plumbing problems throughout the dorm.”
Brock succeeded in contacting the majority of the residents in a timely fashion, as well as arranging temporary accommodations for all of the students while the damage was being repaired.
The Housing Office divided the Eaton men into two groups — new students and returning students. These groups were then dispersed among three different locations: returning students lodged at the Executive Center on the Drescher graduate campus while the new students occupied two vacant faculty condominiums on Baxter Drive, as well as a Pepperdine-owned house nearby.
Brad Johnson, one of two RAs for the hall, stayed at the house along with several new students.
“Living in the house together was definitely a good bonding exercise for the freshmen,” Johnson said. “Although the house was huge, there was no television or computer access, so it gave the boys a unique opportunity to really get to know one another.”
In the meantime, the Facilities Management and Planning staff worked diligently during the first week of classes to repair damage caused by the flood.
Cleaning crews mopped and drained water while construction teams sealed pipes and patched walls.
By Sept. 3, the majority of the students were allowed to begin moving into the residence hall. The remaining students — those assigned to live in A suite — remained in temporary housing until Tuesday.
“I’m a little sad to be moving into the dorm so soon,” one freshman said as he dragged his heavy suitcase up the grassy hill. “The faculty condos were sweet.”
09-09-2004