Yes, that elevator really is quicker

Harrison College House is known for its slow elevators. But some residents are trying to outsmart the computer that operates them, looking for a way to get upstairs faster.

A traffic survey last year led to the addition of a thirty-second delay to the door-closing times of three Harrison elevators. The survey revealed "inefficiency in how the elevators were moving," Facilities and Real Estate spokesman Tony Sorrentino said.

And students have noticed the slowdown.

"I always try to use that one elevator that closes a little bit quicker if you just hold the button down," College senior Tim Ambrose said.

That is elevator No. 4 in Harrison, the only one not reprogrammed last year.

Some students, however, contend with the delay by devising their own ways to reduce the wait.

College sophomore and Harrison resident Ella Dutton has her own strategy for hastening the doors' closing.

"You walk out and in several times and then you bounce" up and down in the elevator, she said. "It works for me."

Otis Elevator Company, which manufactured the elevators, doesn't necessarily approve of this approach.

"We don't recommend anyone doing any sort of bouncing," said Silvio Albino, a spokesman for Otis.

Many people's strategies involve trying to trick the elevator into thinking multiple people have boarded. This apparently stems from a belief that the elevator waits to depart to give multiple people a chance to board.

College junior Ashley Jordan Ferira holds down the door-close button. When she's feeling particularly impatient, she said, "Sometimes I'll press one more floor, but I wouldn't press more than one."

That's a pretty benign strategy compared to other residents'.

College freshman Kate Long, once "pushed all of [the buttons] above 13, and it still didn't [close faster]. And then someone actually got on on, like, the fifth floor, and I got off and walked [away] because I was too embarrassed."

Chemistry graduate student Masaya Jimbo, a resident of the 24th floor, also presses the buttons for multiple floors, trying to trick the computer into thinking multiple people are aboard. When that fails, Jimbo said, "grab the two doors and pull [them] shut. That works."

But Facilities and Real Estate officials have taken note of student complaints.

"We reduced the time the doors are open to 20 seconds," said Sorrentino, adding, "We're going to look into the other high rises."

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