Since the beginning of the semester, over $8,000 worth of damages have been reported at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel. These damages have been caused by students and include holes in the hallway walls, missing or broken furniture, and tampering with the elevator systems.
Over the past two months, maintenance workers have repaired, patched, and painted over 30 holes in hallways and hotel rooms. Holes range in size from a small fist to an entire body. The cause of the holes can be traced back to students rough housing in the halls, throwing footballs or Frisbees or putting too much of their weight into the soft spots in the walls.
When students sit out in the halls and lean against the wall, usually attempting to get a better Internet signal, the soft dry wall isn’t able to hold the weight, thus creating a hole. When a hole is made, workers have to repair the entire patch on the wall, not just the spot where the hole was made.
Unless students who cause the damages come forward, the entire floor will have to divide up the costs, causing some students to grow frustrated with their neighbors.
“I don’t even cause the problem, yet I’m going to have to pay for it,” said Sara Johnson, a freshman living on the 7th floor of the Howard Johnson.
“Some students that don’t even live on our floor come up here and they are drunk and fall into the walls and then we have to pay for what they did. It just isn’t fair,” she said.
The damage fees that will be split among the floor unless individuals come forward will have to be paid at the end of the semester. Any additional costs from new damages from now until that time will be added to the total cost of damages.
Area Coordinator of the Howard Johnson, Amanda Adas, explained, “As on campus, fees for damages occurring in residence halls are charged to the responsible individual or group. When this is not possible, all residents of the hall or floor become collectively responsible for the costs involved.”
Fines caused by students are not only coming from damages to the hotel, but also tampering with the elevator systems. A rule has been set into place that no more than 8 people may ride in an elevator at a time.
Last week, a group of 23 tried to fit and caused the elevator to break down on the 7th floor. There is also a $750 fine for students that press the Fire Department Call button without reason. These problems with UT students at the Howard Johnson return every year, some years worse than others.
“Look at floors like the 14th, that don’t have students on them. All of the floors looked like that before the students got here. And now were are patching holes, some in the same spots more than once, at least 4 times a week,” said a maintenance supervisor that wished to remain nameless.
“We ask that residents remember that they are responsible for their actions. If other residents come forward with information about incidents, we are able to appropriately address individuals or groups who are responsible for damage,” Adas said.
Any students living at the Howard Johnson that wish to come forward with information about the damages can speak with either RA on their floor and can remain anonymous. Students can also report information anonymously at commondamage@ut.edu.
Chelsea Daubar can be reached at chelsea.daubar@spartans.ut.edu.