By Dylan Pichnarick
News Editor
The May Hall elevator will remain out of service for the remainder of the spring semester following two failures during the week of Feb. 10, according to an email sent by Dean of Students Meg Nowak Borrego.
Repairing the elevator is delayed due to a lack of parts and the need for custom components to be assembled, according to Maureen Fowler, environmental health and safety coordinator.
Money to fund the project will come from the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), according to Robert Totino, vice president of finance, technology, and administration.
He said, “FSU will be receiving approximately $133,000 from DCAMM for the May Hall elevator repair. From what we know at this moment, the total cost of the elevator repair is expected to be between $150,000 and $180,000, and the difference above the $133,000 from DCAMM will be paid by FSU.”
Totino said FSU has a $5.2 million allotment from the DCAMM Critical Repair Program. FSU has used “a little over half of that money.” The funds come from a Fiscal Year 2024 to 2028 allocation.
DCAMM works “with state agencies to create and manage forward-thinking, sustainable buildings to meet the needs of the citizens they serve,” according to the DCAMM website.
Fowler said the May Hall elevator was inspected by a state agency in October of 2024 and passed.
She said the May Hall elevator is the oldest on campus and was installed during the 1981 May Hall renovation.
Totino said the May Hall elevator has been in service for so long because it “missed identification” under the Critical Repairs Program “when it came time to identify campus projects that we’re going to put in the pipeline.”
Fowler said the May Hall elevator is scheduled for a modernization next summer but “the parts that are used to run the elevator now, they failed before the parts came in, and before we got the plan in place.”
She said the elevator's controller, “which is the brain behind the elevator,” as well as the door closers, must be repaired. Due to the age of the elevator, “the parts are obsolete, so it's really impossible to get parts to make it continue to go on.”
Fowler said along with the controller and door closers, the repair company “will have to do some ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] upgrades for the buttons. And then, as an extra part, because it's so old, it might need to get some modernization.”
Based on this emergency repair, Fowler said fire service might have to be added “so the fire department can key it down” to the first floor. “It'll just go down to the first floor and wait for the fire department,” she added. Currently, the elevator won't work in a fire alarm.
According to Fowler, the reason for the elevator repair delay is, “The controller takes between 12 to 16 weeks to make and they don't know what other parts they need.
“The elevator company came in and looked to see all the parts they needed. And right now, they're saying three to four months for the parts, but it could take longer once they put down exactly what they need,” she said.
Fowler said the University’s elevator service provider, Delta-Beckwith, will purchase the required parts on behalf of FSU and install them.
Totino said, “We sincerely apologize if there's any outcome which has not been pleasurable because of this potential displacement if you're in a classroom or a studio, for example, and you can't get to those facilities at the present time. Faculty and staff, same thing - if you’re having a difficult time getting to your office. …Our apologies to all of the constituents. It is not pleasurable because we all have a routine, and we would like to maintain that routine throughout at least the course of the semester.”
Students who have accessibility concerns in regard to the out-of-service elevator were instructed via email from Nowak Borrego to contact Tanya Milette, associate director of disability and access services.
Milette said she is the primary contact for students with accessibility concerns regarding the May Hall elevator outage.
“I am communicating with individual students about their specific situations. This often has led to follow-up conversations with faculty and sometimes the registrar to discuss the possibility of relocating a specific class to ensure that the student has access.”
Milette encourages students who have not come forward with accessibility concerns to contact her via email or visit the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA).
She said several students have come forward to share accessibility concerns related to the elevator being out of service. “Any number I share is likely to be an underestimate of the total number of students who are impacted by this outage as I only know about the students who have come forward but many others could be impacted and may not have contacted me yet.”
Faculty and staff who were impacted by the outage were instructed to contact Erin Jerrett, director of equal opportunity and deputy Title IX coordinator via email, according to Nowak Borrego.
Jerrett said, “Once I am informed that an employee is impacted, I will work directly with them to assess how the situation is affecting them and/or their students. Together, we will identify tailored solutions, such as finding alternative spaces for teaching or performing work duties, to ensure continued support and accessibility.”
She said she has not had a member of the faculty or staff come forward to express concerns, but encourages anyone who is experiencing difficulties to contact her.
She said, “The impact has been minimal. After the initial notification was sent, the registrar and Student Accessibility Services were promptly contacted, and planning to address any concerns began immediately.”
Jerrett said that classroom changes have been provided for affected students.
English Professor Lorianne DiSabato sprained her ankle three weeks ago. She said she is able to walk around and use stairs. However, it becomes difficult while carrying her belongings around during the day.
She said she was using the elevator when going to her classes on the second floor of May Hall.
DiSabato said she “feels for people who have more serious mobility issues.”
DiSabato said students with disabilities may have a more difficult time due to the elevator outage.
“It really makes you think, ‘How would you accommodate someone that literally can't make it to the classroom?’” she asked.
On Feb. 14, the elevator in the Henry Whittemore Library had a small overload, which “sometimes happens,” according to Fowler.
Totino said there will be an assessment of the elevator since “it’s near the end of its life.”
T. Stores, dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, said, “We want people to get to their classes without disruption and without barriers. We want to reduce all the barriers we can.”
Stores added they have been checking in with members of the faculty who they know have health issues.
“I check in as much as I possibly can and make sure everybody knows where to go and who to ask and try to reach out on their behalf when necessary,” they said.
Freshman Christela Cean said she has had a “bad experience” with the May Hall elevator and has a difficult time breathing while walking to the fourth floor art studios.
Freshman Stenia Sylvaince said, “It’s really hard” walking all the way to the fourth floor. “It's like we’re doing a workout.”
Freshman Finley Sweeney said he has not been affected by the outage but knows people who have been. “My friend … she’s in a wheelchair and she, of course, can’t get up to places that require elevators.”
He added, “It’s a lot for people to go up and down all the time.”
Freshman JJ Johnson said they are “more affected than I would like to admit. I have issues with my lovely little legs, so it is kind of a pain. Luckily, my class got moved to the library.”
