With classroom temperatures climbing to unbearable levels, studying peacefully was the last thing on anyone’s mind. The heat has pushed both students and faculty to relocate to other halls or keep windows and doors open. For many, this intolerable heat has become more than an inconvenience: it is exhausting and disruptive.
Since returning from the winter holidays, students have been stuck in overheated classrooms due to a broken air-conditioning system in both Strauss and Walker Hall. The repair is in progress, but we are unsure when the situation will return to normal.
Walker Hall has opened classroom doors for ventilation. The wind helps, but sometimes the noise disrupts classes. In winter, it is overwhelming to enter classrooms.
Extreme heat has a way of short-circuiting focus. Studies show it can impair students’ attention, memory and ability to concentrate, something anyone who’s sat through a sweltering lecture can attest to. Professors have taken notice and are doing what they can to help, whether that means letting classes out early or relocating sessions to cooler spaces such as the library. In classrooms with windows, professors have taken matters into their own hands, angling them to bring cool air inside while continuing through their lectures.
Dipesh Sharma, a sophomore computer science major taking Physics in Walker Hall, shared similar concerns.
“It’s almost the cold season; we are mostly wearing warm clothes that are suitable for the outdoor climate,” Sharma said. “Because the AC was not working, wearing warm clothes made me feel much hotter, and it felt very uncomfortable in class.”
According to Facilities Management and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) at ULM, they are upgrading the chiller in the HVAC system for these buildings to improve cooling system performance and reliability.
The director of Facilities & EHS, Michael Davis, said they expect the air-conditioning system to be upgraded in a couple of weeks.
“The original plan was to replace it during the winter break and as soon as possible before the weather gets warm, but the ice storm has delayed the work,” Davis said. “But we are hopeful that the air conditioning for the Strauss Hall will start working by next week, and for the Walker Hall by the end of February.”
As of Feb. 20, 2026, Davis estimates that the air conditioning system in Walker Hall will be up and running by the end of next week. A few minor issues may linger, but the main problem (the lack of air circulation) should finally be resolved. Over in Strauss Hall, however, work is not expected to wrap up for another two weeks.
