How much did we spend to fix Harrison College House again?
That is, no doubt, the question on the minds of many Harrison residents at this point in the semester. Especially given the extremely generous (some would say ludicrous) sums of money Penn students and their parents fork over semesterly for the pleasure of living in the college house system. The constant problems in Harrison have gone from annoying to ridiculous to infuriating. Penn needs to fix the building once and for all.
The list of complaints is long and dismal. Hot water is frequently nonexistent. Too often, the water is turned off altogether. Heating systems are often deactivated as well. Sometimes there are warnings beforehand. Sometimes there aren't.
But the incidents have gone from bad to egregious with reports of serious flooding. This can damage clothes and electronics, cost thousands of dollars and present a major inconvenience. Last but not least, it also presents the very real danger of electrocution. This may be Franklin's university, but he didn't love electricity that much.
Unfortunately, the current situation is no laughing matter. Facilities and Real Estate Services attributes the problems to the age of the building and recent cold temperatures. Attributions can go wherever they want, but the fact remains that the building is a mess. Students cannot be blamed for asking why the University spent all that money for what amounts essentially to a facelift. After all, if these very basic problems still exist, why did Penn spend so much money on other parts of the building?
And that figure? $26.5 million. Let's hope Penn spends the next $26.5 million more effectively.
