Rats have been seen in and around the Bender Tunnel businesses and inside the Terrace Dining Room due to increased construction on campus, but Facilities Management is working to control and prevent any further infestation.
Stephanie DeStefano, the grounds operations coordinator, believes the construction could lead to more frequent sightings of rats around campus. However, there has not been an increase in the population of rats, only in the sighting of rats, according to DeStefano.
The Facilities Management team partnered with Innovative Pest Management to control pests populations on campus, DeStefano said. Pest controllers are on campus on Tuesdays and Fridays or weekends if needed as well, according to DeStefano.
“Rats are in all buildings,” Resident District Manager at Bon Appétit Derek Nottingham said in response to TDR having rats. “But we have an aggressive pest management program.”
The University uses multiple solutions to control pests to ensure the least toxic methods of pest control are used to protect students’ health, DeStefano said in an email. Trapping is the first option when dealing with pests, she said.
“When the pest control contractor comes to campus and says there is something our businesses should be doing, we do it,” Director of Auxiliary Services Dave Courter said.
Rat sightings on campus
The TIGI Boutique salon, located in the Tunnel between Asian Flavors and Megabytes Cafe, found a dead rat inside an air vent in their ceiling about two months ago, according to salon employee Abraham Casey. The dead rat made the salon smell, but the rat was removed and no further problems have been reported, Casey said.
However, Casey has still seen rats running around the tunnel since then, he said.
There have also been reports of rats in TDR, according to DeStefano. Pests such as mice or rats have also been heard in the ceiling of Letts Hall Terrace South, according to College of Arts and Sciences freshman Megan Konyndyk.
Students and faculty who notice pest infestations should immediately report to 2FIX so the Facilities Management can schedule an inspection and decide on a treatment plan, according to DeStefano.
“I saw one [rat] when I opened the door the other day,” Casey said. “It was huge, man.”
Full disclosure: Megan Konyndyk is a contributing writer and photographer for The Eagle.
acohen@theeagleonline.com
