A majority of residents of Hadley, South Lake and Flint villages and Flickinger Court are now without functional microwaves, leaving students to cook the old-fashioned way - on the stove or in the oven.
The University Residence Halls and Apartments recently notified residents that the microwave units installed above the apartment stoves have been recalled by the manufacturer.
The Kenmore-brand unit, manufactured by Whirlpool Corporation, allows a buildup of grease inside, leading to a possible fire hazard, said Joseph Krakowiak, director of the University Residence Halls and Apartments.
"Consumers with recalled microwave-hoods must immediately stop using the unit and disconnect the unit by unplugging it. Every potential user of the unit should be informed of the risk of fire and told not to use the microwave," according to the Whirlpool safety notice.
Approximately 1.8 million "over the range" microwave-hood combinations, sold from January 1998 through September 2001, are being recalled nationwide.
"We are in the process, with Whirlpool, to resolve this," said Krakowiak.
The units have only caused seven fires total out of all the versions of the model in circulation, but the number was sufficient to warrant a recall by the manufacturer.
"It's sort of like the Firestone tire deal," Krakowiak said. "The Whirlpool Corporation realizes they're liable for this error."
Because the fault lies with Whirlpool, the company offered UB vouchers for up to $100 to purchase replacement microwaves, an option the university is currently investigating. The problem, said Krakowiak, is "where can we find 422 microwaves?"
Elizabeth Lidano, assistant director of the university apartments, is one of the administrators working with Whirlpool to find a solution to the dilemma. She said that Whirlpool is set to notify UB by Dec. 10 with a timetable for the repair of the defective microwaves. The repairs will be financed by the corporation, not the university nor apartment residents.
"I've definitely talked to students about it," said Lidano. "I know students are wondering about the microwave issue."
URHA staff notified students by posting notices on the apartment doors prior to unplugging the microwaves in order to minimize the safety hazard.
"I don't think they explained it well at all," said Kristina Swamy, a junior psychology major. "I read it, two seconds later a maintenance man came in, said 'don't use the microwave' and ran out."
"I just saw the sign when I got back from my classes," said Bryan Patel, senior chemical engineering major. "It was not unplugged. It is still on and functioning. ... Nobody came by to talk to us."
The microwave problems come shortly after some residents in Hadley and Flint villages reported problems with overactive smoke detectors. Overly sensitive smoke detectors led to frequent false fire alarms, something that could lead to students ignoring fire alarms in the event of a real emergency, said Lidano.
The problem with the fire alarm system, according to Krakowiak, is that the fans installed in the apartments do not move the air inside rapidly enough to keep moisture from building up. As a result, a fire alarm could be triggered by steam from a shower instead of smoke from a fire.
The fire alarms are more sensitive than the safety specifications require, a problem shared by the Campus Drive Apartments at Daemen College, said Krakowiak.
To address the problem, URHA purchased 42 ionization detectors and installed them in portions of Flint Village. If the change is satisfactory, the university will retrofit the rest of the village, at a total cost of $38,000.
"We're going to get the fix and then we'll figure out who should pay for it," Krakowiak said, although he clarified that students would not be punished financially for the university's problems.
"I definitely want some relief from those fire alarms [for the students]," said Lidano.
