A pipe burst on the second floor of the Student Health Center on Wednesday night, flooding an estimated 21 offices and ruining several thousand dollars worth of computers, furniture and carpeting.
The broken water line was discovered Thursday at 7 a.m. by Health Center faculty who arrived to open the health center.
“I’m just grateful that it didn’t happen on a Saturday afternoon,” said Arthur Goulas, assistant vice chancellor for Student Services and Student Health Center director. “The whole building would have been destroyed by Monday.”
Goulas said the flood was the result of a water line that was improperly installed during renovations in early November.
He said he was disappointed in the University’s contracting company, Arrighi Simoneaux.
“It was a $600,000 contract,” Goulas said. “That’s student money.”
Goulas said he met with representatives from the contracting company as well as Facility Service workers shortly after the flooding was discovered to begin planning immediate renovations.
The majority of the damage occurred on the second floor, where the Mental Health Department is located.
Goulas said about nine rooms on the second floor were flooded with about 2 to 3 inches of water.
Cindy Shittone, a Student Health Center administrative coordinator, said some early morning appointments for the Mental Health Department were canceled and rescheduled.
“We didn’t want students falling or sliding in the water,” Shittone said.
She said that until the rooms are renovated, appointments will take place in other available rooms around the Health Center.
Goulas said about six rooms on the first floor and six rooms in the basement were flooded from water rushing down the stairs and leaking through the ceilings.
He said the estimates for the cost of the damage should be made by Monday.
 
Contact Rebekah Allen at [email protected]