[430] MTSU Sets Campus Power Outages May 9-10 to Minimize Academic Impact

MTSU sets campus power outages May 9-10 to minimize academic impact

FOR RELEASE: May 2, 2012

EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or Gina.Fann@mtsu.edu

MURFREESBORO—MTSU will shut down electrical power in phases across campus May 9 and 10 to complete the next step in connecting new underground wiring. The work may result in temporary closing of some offices.

The outage will affect multiple campus buildings from 8 a.m. until at least 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, and some may be without power until 5 p.m. that day. Other buildings will have a similar outage on Thursday, May 10.

The downtime was planned specifically for the week between commencement and the start of summer 2012 classes to affect fewer academic operations. University officials noted that power will be restored to each building as soon as is safely possible during the project.

“Our departments and divisions will make their own arrangements for staffing, operating hours or temporary relocations, but these will be regular work days for the University,” said John Cothern, MTSU senior vice president.

“The University will be open. Anyone planning to visit an MTSU office on May 9 or 10, however, should call or email ahead to check that office’s schedule and make sure it won’t be affected by the power outage.”

Dean Bonnie Allen of the James E. Walker Library has already announced that it will be closed May 9. Library staffers instead will participate in a day of training and meetings off-campus.

MTSU’s Cope Administration Building will lose power briefly before regular opening hours May 9 as workers switch over to a generator for the duration of the work.

The University’s server, websites and other information-technology operations should have no service interruptions during the outage thanks to the generator, Cothern said.

In addition to the library, other “Western loop buildings” on campus without power beginning at 8 a.m. May 9 include the Bragg Mass Communication Building, Deere and Nicks Halls, Tennessee Dyslexia Center, Smith and Sims Halls, the Lyon and Monohan Complexes, the James Union Building, Rutledge Hall, Kirksey Old Main, the Midgett Building, the Tom Jackson Building, Voorhies Engineering Technology Building, the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building, Wright Music Building, the Natatorium, Alumni Memorial Gym, Murphy Center, Floyd Stadium, the Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium, Kennon Sports Hall of Fame and Ellington Human Science Building and Annex.

The Library, Mass Comm, Deere and Nicks, the Dyslexia Center, Smith and Sims, the Ellington buildings, the Natatorium and AMG, Old Main and Midgett, Jackson, Voorhies and Rutledge power will be restored by 1 p.m.

Power will be back on by 5 p.m. May 9 at Lyon and Monohan Complexes, the JUB and BDA, Murphy Center, Floyd Stadium, the Hayes Stadium and the Hall of Fame. Work will resume at 8 a.m. May 10 and power will be out again until 5 p.m. at Lyon and Monohan, the JUB, Murphy Center, Floyd Stadium, the Hayes Stadium and the Hall of Fame.

Also on May 9, buildings in MTSU’s “northern loop” will be without power from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the underground connection work. Those buildings include the Cogen Plant, the Smith Baseball Complex, the University Purchasing Department, MTSU’s Maintenance Complex, the Telecommunications Building, Blue Warehouse, the MTSU Print Shop, the Tennessee Livestock Center, the Vocational Agriculture Building, horticulture facility and greenhouses, and the Scarlett Commons housing complex.

“Our crews are working closely with the Murfreesboro Electric Department to ultimately remove all overhead power lines from campus,” said Cothern. “Not only does it improve the aesthetics of the campus, but more importantly, it improves the reliability of our electric utilities.

“It will help eliminate external invasions from squirrels, which have caused outages in the past, as well as potential outages and damage from ice storms and other inclement weather.”

Cothern added that MTSU has had campuswide power outages before during the relatively quiet period right after spring commencement, but this phase of the underground electrical project will affect the largest area ever.

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