Campus Rumors
From Crowdsourcing
Summary: Identify and investigate the status of campus rumors.
Sources should be stated if using anything other than firsthand knowledge.
Word target: 1000 words
**For information on how to submit, see Imagery_Submission.**
Editor's Note: Fact checking has been performed by the crowd. Although minor editing has been done, the Reporter staff has not independently verified the status of these rumors.
Contents |
SAU Glory Hole
Rumor: There is a "glory hole" in one of the the men's bathrooms by the RITz. A glory hole is a hole between stall walls used for anonymous sexual encounters.
Status: True, but inactive.
A student explains: "It exists. I've seen it. One time I sat in that stall, looked to my left, and there it was! The glory hole had a diameter of about a foot, for reasons unknown to me. I promptly left the stall for fear of any person that might sit in the stall across from mine, went upstairs, and used a bathroom that didn't smell of old diapers and incorrectly flushed toilets." The glory hole is currently covered up with a metal plate.
4th Floor Library Shenanigans
Rumor: Students use the 4th floor of the library to engage in shenanigans.
Status: True. For proof, see Craigslist "casual encounter" listings.
The Shooting at Crossroads
Rumor: There was a shooting at crossroads.
On October 4, 2004, around 6 a.m., three men entered Crossroads and demanded money. One of the men shot two employees.
The Colony Manor Riot
Rumor: There was a riot that happened in Colony Manor.
Status: True.
On May 8, 2004, there was a party called "Colonypalooza" with over 500 people. The Monroe County Sheriff's Department was asked to help contain the party. Some number of intoxicated students were yelling and harassing the police. The incident was apparently escalated when one student threw a bottle which hit a police officer. Police responded by firing pepper spray (capsicum) bullets. This was new equipment recently acquired under a Homeland Security grant, used by Monroe County Sheriffs for the first time at RIT.
Secret Tunnels Connect Academic Side to Dorms
Rumor: There are secret tunnels that connected the academic side to the residential side.
Status: False.
The swamp that RIT is built on does not allow tunnels from the dorms to campus. There are no tunnels that lead from one end of campus to the other. There are underground utility "pipes" with electricity, water, and other utility lines, but they probably aren't even big enough for a rat to get through. However, there is a tunnel that connects the library and buildings 6, 8, and 9, which is really useful in winter. There is a small telecommunications "tunnel" between the two sides of campus. It carries some fiber and cable.
Best route to get to the academic side: Through the tunnels to Gracie's, then on the quarter mile to the SLC, then through the tunnels under the library to building nine, then to the second floor of building nine across the bridge to GCCIS.
Calling Dorm Elevators
Rumor: There's a phone number to call the elevators in the dorms.
Status: True.
Was done in 2006-2007 school year to NRH elevators by C.R. who played music over the line; number is printed on inside of doors. "True," claims an RIT student, "My roommate has the number for the NRH elevators too. Good luck getting it though, it's like his prized possession."
"True," claims another student, "I've got the number to the left Gleason elevator, and give it out to anyone who promises to drunk dial it. I like to call it pretending I'm God."
Another student who lived in Gleason last year says, "There have been several games of 'Cash Elevator' played in both Gleason elevators. I've played in these games and also have the number for both elevators myself."
Weather Control Device
Rumor: The president of RIT has a weather control device, and this device is housed in the Sentinel. Status: Unknown.
This may be the real reason RIT paid such a ridiculous amount for this piece of "art". The weather control device is primarily used to create sunny days during prospective student tours, thus sucking them into thinking Rochester has favorable weather. Under Dr. Al Simone, the weather machine was used nearly flawlessly, as tour days always meant good weather, and the day after always rained. However, with the change of presidency, there have been some shaky tour days that rained a lot, implying that Dr. Bill Destler has not quite gotten used to controlling the weather. Either that, or he refuses to use such underhanded tactics to manipulate prospective students.
Secret Sublevel of COLA
Rumor: The College of Liberal Arts has a secret basement level B. Who knows what the psychologists and economists do down there, and what nefarious experiments they conduct.
Status: Both the elevator and one of the stairways have access to sublevel B.
The COLA level B hardly counts as a floor. Building 8, however, has a sub-basement that spans the entire building, mostly full of mechanical equipment. At the west end there's a hallway with one wall covered with chalk anatomical drawings done by a class.
Floor plans for all buildings (including spooky B-levels) can be viewed on the FMS website.
RIT Campus Wind Tunnels
Rumor: RIT's campus design is based on a design for schools in the southwest. The "wind tunnels" in between buildings were created on purpose.
Status: Unknown.
Campus design was a combination of architects' plans, made for RIT when RIT moved from downtown. Per an interview for a Public Speaking class, Kevin Roche was in charge of the design for the central portion (Eastman, SAU, Student Life Center and the Ritter Ice Arena) and has said that the design is original to RIT and was not taken off the shelf. He explained that the buildings were placed close together because of the uneven grade and because of the weather. A shorter distance to walk meant less time in the cold. Roche also said that most campuses have wind problems due to the preference of open space over trees that can diffuse the wind.
Original RIT Building Plans
Rumors: The clock tower on Kate Gleason residence hall is supposed to be visible from the Infinity Quad on the quarter mile. However, one of the walls of the SAU was built a few feet away from its designated target spot, therefore blocking this potentially amazing view from occurring. OOPS.
Status: False.
Per an interview for a Public Speaking class, Kevin Roche was in charge of the design for the central portion of campus. The SAU was designed to jut out into the quarter mile so it would be a visual divider for academic and residential side of campus. Roche noted that the SAU also has that peculiar angle so visitors would intuitively be drawn into it since it served as a welcome and information center. To decide the kind and color of bricks to use, small walls were built and faculty voted on their favorites. For a while, the winning bricks were a black and white checkerboard pattern (and you thought the bricks were bad now).
To read more rumors, visit reportermag.com.
