Thursday, August 25, 2005
Throughout the first weeks of classes, students at the University of Kansas have not been saved by the whistle.
The steam whistle which previously announced the end of class at 20 and 50 minutes after the hour has been temporarily turned off because of roof repairs at the KU Power Plant, where the whistle is located.
Mike Burke, senior supervisor of the power plant, said the whistle was a safety concern for the workers on the roof.
The volume of the whistle’s blast could cause hearing damage to the workers. Also, if they were standing close to the edge of the roof when the whistle went off, the sound could startle them and cause them to fall off the roof, Burke said.
Once repairs are completed, the whistle will be turned back on, said Jim Long, vice provost of facilities planning and management.
Jared Soares/KANSAN
Maintenance workers make repairs on the top of the Facilities and Operations Building. The repairs took place Wednesday afternoon.
Joe Orosco, head of access services reserve department at Watson Library, said that because the library neighbors the power plant to the east, in the past he could hear the whistle clearly. But, he hadn’t noticed that the whistle hadn’t blown this semester.
Sami Al-Otaibi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sophomore, said he didn’t notice the whistle’s absence either. But he added if the whistle was not used again, he would miss it.
“I think it’s a good indication of when class is over,” Al-Otaibi said.
The power plant’s roof repairs could end next week, depending on the weather, said Roger Harmon, construction manager of Design and Construction Management.
The repairs started on June 1. Right now, the workers are hot-tarring the roof, one of the last steps in the process. The power plant building is over 100 years old and the roof was in desperate need of repair, Burke said.
“It needed to be done and we’re finally getting it done,” Burke said.
— Edited by Becca Evanhoe
Outdated technology cause for broken elevators
Contractor offers to fix Dole leak
Funding for campus maintenance drying up
The University’s bi-annual report is expected to reveal major shortages in funding ...
Nine damaged roofs remain
Roofs on about 20 campus buildings have been repaired since last year's ...
Whistle out of service until middle of ...
Campus off limits to cars and pedestrians
Winter weather presents new challenges
Heavy snows provides new and unexpected difficulties for both students and University ...
Road work to continue, but not hinder
Electrical replacement causes campus power outage
Westar Energy replaced a piece of insulating equipment Thursday afternoon, causing power ...
Familiar sound of whistle no longer heard
University shuts off steam whistle because of the rising cost of gas ...
LMH prepares for reconstruction
Crews battle snow, costs
It came from beneath the hill
A maze of tunnels: What's beneath our feet?
Stopping to smell the roses
Landscaping around campus requires careful planning, budgeting and man power.
Green trucks, green thumbs
Housing, meal costs increase
Football complex goes green with grass roof
The Athletics Department kept the beauty of Campanile Hill by building a ...
Group cleans Fieldhouse
Policy prevents recycling tulips
Hemenway decides to sound the whistle
The famous KU whistle will be returning to campus.
Snow Hall elevator undergoes repairs
Lawrence faces potholes following winter storms
University seeks funds for renovations
Editorial: Campus well-maintained
The number of on-campus maintenance problems rises as available funds decrease.
Buildings inaccessible
Insurance dispute marks Boardwalk fire anniversary
The Boardwalk fire occured nearly a year ago, but little remains of ...
'Snowpocalypse' pummels Kansas, entire Midwest
Class cancelations, winter weather struggles abound in Kansas, Missouri and throughout the ...
Fiftieth season brings Fieldhouse facelift
Grants fund Dyche Hall upgrades
Two awards will allow the Kansas Biodiversity Institute to make renovations to ...
Research facility will encourage interactivity
Lose weight over the phone
Police arrest suspect in apartment fire investigation
Professor sculpts students with success
Assistant Professor of Art Matthew Burke uses his experience to inspire students ...
Facilities Operations keeps campus moving
Though rarely recognized, KU's maintenance crew are to thank for campus running ...
Business school makes plans for Carruth-O'Leary
Departments feel the pinch of budget cuts
Groups around campus rely on different solutions for budget woes.
the scarlet list
Jonathon Bourgeois doesn’t wear a visible scarlet “A” on his chest as ...
Hallowed halls of history
Friday marks the 102nd anniversary of the discovery of helium on earth. ...
Malott to be renovated
Energy trackers monitor campus consumption
Facilities Operations staff supervises the University’s energy use to help the environment ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID