Azlynn Padderatz-Mcnicol, a sophomore marketing major, is a resident of Pemberton Hall, but due to the lack of air conditioning in their hall, they had to move dorms.
On Thursday, the temperature will be 98 degrees Fahrenheit and will feel like 107 degrees Fahrenheit, which will be the highest temperatures of the week.
The National Weather Service has established an excessive heat warning.
With the high temperatures, students in Eastern’s Pemberton Hall are suffering from the heat more than others, due to the lack of air conditioning.
According to Cameron Craig, a geographer and climatologist in the department of geology and geography at Eastern, the short-term effects of students not having air conditioning is that if they continue to be in environments without fresh and cool air, they can experience heat exhaustion and that the environment increases health risks.
Craig also said surface factors such as crop fields of corn and soybeans are contributions to the high humidity. The crops pull the moisture from the soil and move it into the atmosphere, which is a system called evapotranspiration, according to Craig.
Padderatz-McNicol has experienced the negatives of the weather already.
Moving into Pemberton Hall during the Spring 2023 semester as a transfer student, Padderatz-McNicol said the conditions were not too bad because if their windows were open, then the room could cool down quickly.
Now since temperatures are high at the beginning of Fall semester, Padderatz-McNicol is experiencing a difference in the living conditions.
“It’s easily 90 degrees in [my room] currently, and I have medical conditions that get flared up in severe heat, so I can’t even sleep in my room,” Padderatz-McNicol said.
Due to medical conditions, Padderatz-McNicol was in the hospital to get fluids due to their IBS flaring up.
“I could not keep anything in my body,” Padderatz-McNicol said.
Residents of Pemberton Hall that find it difficult to sleep in the residence hall have the option of temporarily living in Taylor Hall, but Padderatz-McNicol chose not to move there.
Padderatz-McNicol was told that students that chose to leave Pemberton Hall for temporary housing must be out by August 27.
Padderatz-McNicol said that residents of Pemberton Hall are put into rooms with random people and things are expected to go well.
“I’d rather be with somebody that I know and that I’m comfortable with than be with just some [random person] on my floor,” Padderatz-McNicol said.
Padderatz-McNicol moved into the residence hall with friend on Sunday.
Padderatz-McNicol said they feel bad for invading her friends’ space, but the living arrangement is manageable.
Padderatz-McNicol was told nothing could be done with the fixing of the air conditioning due to Pemberton Hall being a historical building.
The building was built in 1908, and was the first residence hall built by the state of Illinois, according to Mark Hudson, Director of Housing and Dining
“If they really can’t edit the building because it’s historical or whatever, they shouldn’t use it as a residence hall,” Padderatz-McNicol said. “I just don’t think it’s safe.”
Hudson said that the university has worked with architects to figure out how to get air conditioning in the building, and the project would cost around $10 million.
Hudson said that the department chairs sat and thought about which residents are more exposed to the heat and chose to help them.
Hudson said the residents are allowed to be in Taylor Hall until Saturday because the weather will break on Sunday by 20 degrees.
There is an air conditioning space in Pemberton called the great room, which is in the formal lounge.
“The primary thing that we’ve been doing is trying to make sure our systems are working well, so that students have a place to be that is going to be healthy and all the rest,” Hudson said.
Hudson said that 27 students decided to move into Taylor Hall.
Some of the things that Hudson advised students to do is to stay hydrated and drink lots of water. He also said people should use sunscreen and wear hats.
Taking advantage of the medical clinic on campus would also be beneficial to students, but overall, they should focus on self-care.
“You just have to know what your limits are,” Hudson said.
Students have camped downstairs to gain the air. Hudson said that he and workers at Pemberton are flexible because they want what’s best for the students.
Even though Pemberton has no air now, the conditions are not always like this.
Hudson said that Pemberton buildings have big windows, and they can tilt in or out to get a cool breeze, which flows through the building.
“There’s fans placed strategically around the building to help move air,” Hudson said.
The main reason why the heat wave is due to “a persistent ride of warm, moist air that is just sitting in the central United States,” according to Craig.
Hudson said he feels for the Pemberton residents and is glad that they found a resolution for the residents.
According to Craig, “Temperatures will return to the mid to lower eighties this weekend and next week after a cold front pushes south from Canada.”
Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-28912 or at cahardy@eiu.edu.
