Students in Watson Hall have reported finding cockroaches in the dormitory again.

A Watson Hall resident reported multiple sightings of cockroaches in an email sent to Chancellor Nancy Cantor on Friday and obtained by The Daily Orange.

The resident spoke to FIXit two weeks before sending the email but was told residence halls had been exterminated, according to the email. The resident requested an alternate form of extermination due to continued cockroach sightings and would be happy to vacate the living space to ensure elimination of the pests.

Syracuse University is aware of the problem after receiving a few calls from Watson residents during the week, said Kevin Quinn, SU’s senior vice president for public affairs, in an email. FIXit quickly responded and addressed the problem for each of the rooms that reported an issue, Quinn said.

Matthew Robinson, a sophomore finance major and Watson resident, said he saw a few roaches down the hallway from his room earlier this week, which he said caught him off guard. He did not call FIXit himself, but he said he was sure the problem would be addressed.

This is not the first reported sighting of cockroaches in Watson. There were reported sightings of cockroaches in 2009, according to an article published in The Daily Orange on Sept. 30, 2009. In 2009, officials acknowledged the problem and said they were actively combating it. In 2006, Marion Hall also had roaches, according to an article published in The Daily Orange on Sept. 7, 2007.

SU and FIXit employ a professional pest control vendor year round, said Sara Miller, associate director of SU News Services, in an email. They provide proactive and reactive treatments to pest-related issues using products that do not pose health threats to occupants, Miller said.

‘Despite vigilant attempts to provide a pest-free environment, pests are a fact of nature and SU/FIXit promptly responds to issues in the residence halls,’ Miller said.

The Office of Residence Life declined to comment.

Watson resident Zerina Buljubasic said she has seen a few smaller bugs that were not roaches in Watson.

‘They were gross. There were like four or five, which to me is a lot because this is where I live, and I do not want bugs around,’ Buljubasic said.

Buljubasic, a sophomore biochemistry major, said she has not heard any complaints about bugs from other Watson residents, but she would like SU to address any insect problems the building may have.

Populations of cockroaches can be prevented through good sanitation and habitat reduction, along with vacuuming, surveillance, baiting and the sealing of cracks in walls and other areas, according to the National Pest Management Association Pest Guide.

Erik Del Re, also a resident of Watson and a sophomore environmental engineering major, said he has not personally seen any cockroaches. However, his roommates told him they found a dead cockroach in their room, Del Re said in an email.

‘No one else has said anything to me about them,’ Del Re said. ‘So right now I’m not too worried about a few bugs.’

Del Re said it would be nice if SU could have an exterminator look into the situation at Watson to see if the cockroaches are entering the building from a nest.

Ryan Johnson, a sophomore broadcast journalism major and Watson resident, said he heard that other residents in Watson have seen cockroaches in the building and brought the issue to FIXit’s attention. He said an exterminator went to the room to check things out.

‘It’s a little unsettling, but I think if they handle it well I’m fine with it,’ Johnson said. ‘As long as they’re not around.’

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Published on September 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm

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