Mice, cockroach infestations keep Facilities busy

(See below for corrections.) Having lived in apartments in New York City for most of her life, College senior Janine Lee was no stranger to the occasional cockroach or pest problem. But she said nothing she has seen has prepared her for the roach problems she has encountered in her dorm life at Penn. "New York's a pretty dirty place, and I've never seen such a problem with roaches," Lee said. "I am not a messy person. I don't leave food out, so there's no reason for this." Though Lee currently lives in Mayer Hall in Stouffer College House, she said she's had problems in other dorms she's lived in at Penn too. And Lee is not alone. "I've had mice, I've had rats and I've had these things that they haven't been able to identify yet that look like scorpions with a hundred legs," Gregory College House resident and College senior Andrea Arias said. Across campus, pest problems -- be it roaches, rodents or ants -- seem to plague students in every college house. According to Director of Facilities Services Jim Bean, all reports of pest problems are taken seriously by Facilities Services staff, who dispatch an exterminator to take action -- which generally entails setting up glue traps. Facilities is also in the process of initiating a pilot program for the residences to identify and address factors leading to infestation. "We are doing exterior building evaluations to identify and seal any penetration points," Bean wrote in an e-mail statement. In addition, facilities will conduct in-room inspections to seal any holes that may allow pest entry and clean basement storage areas wherever possible. "We will then work with the house deans and the students to offer tips on how, together, we can all try to be part of the solution," he wrote. But for some students, efforts so far have not been enough. "Whenever maintenance comes, I feel like they try to brush us aside," College junior Rachel Hicks said. "Our ant problems just don't seem to be a priority to anyone here." Hicks said she has had ongoing problems with ants in her room on the 23rd floor of Harnwell College House despite her efforts to keep food out of her room. When facilities installed ant traps, the ant population dwindled but returned in full force after a few weeks, Hicks said. "It really is frustrating, and there's just not a lot we can do," she said. "I've done pretty much everything I can do except call Judy Rodin and scream." Problems in Gregory got so bad that in November, the house hosted a dinner for students to talk with Martin Overline, who does contract extermination work for the University. "The trip was useful and surprisingly entertaining but certainly didn't reassure our residents that the problem was going to get better any time soon," Gregory House Dean Christopher Donovan wrote in an e-mail. "They've told us there's not much we can do," Arias said. "To be honest with you, you kind of get used to it. It's kind of the running joke in the house." Though Facilities Services provides students with glue traps and other pest-catching contraptions, many students said these are not always effective. Arias said that some roaches are too big for roach-trapping devices. "Those are the ones that come out of the pipes," she said. Pest control is hampered by several factors, according to Bean. "This winter has been exceptionally cold... [which] drives pests to look for warmer places," Bean said. "Our capital plan for dormitory renovation and other related University construction has surely disturbed some pests from their previous homes," he added. The University does not fumigate rooms to battle bug or rodent problems, however. "We do not use any type of spray device," Bean said. "Basically, they are ineffective and simply chase the pets into a non-sprayed area." Hamilton College House Dean Tabitha Dell'Angelo said she had not heard of mice or roach problems in her house but advised students to clean up after themselves to avoid problems. "I watch students walking toward the trash chute with overflowing paper bags of garbage all the time," Dell'Angelo said. "I think if students stored and disposed of their food properly, it would help a great deal." College freshman Corinne Damlamian -- a Hill College House resident who took a proactive approach to her mouse infestation by installing a foam bar to block the crack underneath her door -- said her efforts had paid off, but she was still disturbed by the matter. "I'm okay with it now, as long as [the mice] don't bother me," Damlamian said. "But it's really frustrating when you have a mouse in your room every night for eight nights in a row."

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