Housing should think outside the box and install floor lighting instead

If you live in East Campus, you may have woken up to find an email from your RA about the recent elevator vandalism. As the email explains, damaged light fixtures, broken glass and tampered wiring have prompted the East Campus Residential Programs staff to seek compensatory action for damages. We share an excerpt of the email for all you non-EC residents:

Whenever possible, repair or replacement costs are assessed to the individual(s) responsible. When this is not possible, costs are shared among the residents of a building. As such, the cost of remedying this situation will be the shared responsibility of all EC residents if this vandalism does not stop or if the responsible individual(s) are not identified. To further remedy the situation, we will explore all options including measures to assist us in identifying common area damage. If you have any information or notice any concerning behavior around this vandalism, we ask that you report it to me, the EC RA on Duty at 646-763-0745, or Public Safety at 212-854-5555.

One tipster’s sleuthing has revealed plans to add a 10 dollar miscellaneous charge for all 700 or so EC residents, which is exactly what happened after last year’s incident in John Jay. However we can’t help but wonder what Housing plans on doing with the over $7,000 that it intends to collect. Perhaps EC will get some much-need infrastructure upgrades, though, more likely, just new light bulbs.