This past Tuesday afternoon (10/20), Higgins Hall’s second floor was flooded in an act of delinquency that many students say is “too immature” for a university setting. Thought to be done intentionally, a clogged toilet was found to have caused the flood. 

WCSU maintenance staff told The Echo that the flood came from the toilet in the gender neutral bathroom on the second floor of Higgins. The toilet was clogged by a wad of toilet paper, the remnants of which were seen floating on top of the bowl. Maintenance staff worked for hours to manage the damage, cleaning and drying floors.

Water ran from the restroom door, through about half of the hallway, to the elevator area where maintenance staff were cleaning. Dripping water could be heard inside the elevator shaft on the first floor. Later, flooded water was again present on the first floor of Higgins despite the staff’s tireless efforts.

Plumber Anthony Cabrera explained the situation to The Echo, stating that this flood is a repeat of a suspected prank occurring on Westside. Cabrera stated that the first floor restrooms of VPAC have been flooded multiple times with similar clogs, describing the perpetrator as a “toilet paper bandit.” This individual is yet to be identified. 

Maintenance instructed students to use the stairs on the other side of the building to avoid the flood. However, the stretch of the water was unavoidable when entering affected classrooms. 

A media class student noted that his class needed to be in the hallway where the flood occurred. Not only worried that the class’s camera equipment could be damaged or ruined, the student expressed concern that someone could slip and fall.

University assistant Andrew Soto, responsible for WCSU’s equipment for media classes, stated that the department has “dealt with floods in the past,” notably in White Hall. Soto hoped that the situation would not impact daily work for the media department.

WestConn’s Writing Department is also located on the second floor of the building. 

“This is not a prank; this is just harassment,” said writing student Lia Larsen, who had to navigate the floor on her way to class. Multiple students in Larsen’s class also expressed frustration and disgust with the act.

“We’re adults,” asserted Larsen. “Should we really be worried about flooded toilets?”

Later in the afternoon, a staff member said that the water disabled Higgins’ elevator. Higgins only has one elevator, creating an accessibility issue. Students who use mobility aids to navigate campus were left either stuck downstairs or forced to walk through unsanitary conditions.

“The prank is another example of ableism being allowed to thrive,” said a student with Crohn’s Disease. They expressed how pranks like this negatively impact their experience on campus, describing the situation as a “massive struggle” with their disability: 

“I need every bathroom location possible open in order for me to safely go to class. When I’m in a flare—like I am now—I have to decide if it’s better to miss class than risk immense pain,” they said. “IBD [Irritable Bowel Disease] isn’t as well understood […], so we fly under the radar.” 

WCSU Police were approached for comments, but stated that they had limited information to share. Though one student wondered why security cameras weren’t already being used to find the culprit, WCSU police did not specify when they would review the footage. Fire trucks were also present outside Higgins near the Student Center, but police said that it was unrelated to the flooding.

McDevitt can be reached for maintenance concerns during university business hours at (203) 837-8425.

Students who want to share comments, concerns, or tips can reach The Echo at echo@wcsu.edu