Alexandra Vinci/ The Ionian

The Office of Residential Life awarded $5 to the off-campus meal plans of residents in Rice Hall, Eastchester apartments and on-campus houses on Sept. 2 .

The email from Director of Residential Life Michael Labella told the students to “stop by Red Mango and get something cold on us.”

Unlike newer residence halls like East and Loftus, these buildings do not have central air conditioning, leaving many students lugging multiple fans into their room to attempt to subside the heat.

Sophomore and Rice Hall resident Jane Frumberg thought that the gesture was better than nothing.

“They could have ignored the situation completely,” she said.

However, junior and Rice Hall resident Walter Squires feels like an email wasn’t enough.

“While most students I know check their email, some don’t and would be unaware of the credit,” he said.

An email sent out later in the day by Courtney Ferrick, Residence Hall Director for the Apartments at Eastchester, East Hall and Rice Hall, announced that shuttles to Home Depot would be available to allow students to purchase fans.

Junior and on-campus housing resident Tommy Severin thinks that the situation was handled properly.

“While I didn’t expect the heat to be so bad, there was no way Res Life could have either,” he said. “I appreciate the gesture and do think the shuttle to buy fans was a good idea.”

Junior Kim Cimino, resident of the Eastchester apartments, struggled to deal with the heat.

“I absolutely love the home-sweet-home feel of the apartment,” she said. “But when it got morbidly hot in the first couple of weeks, I would hide out in the library for most of the day!”

Cimino argues that air condition units should come standard in on-campus residences, especially since her roommate has allergies and needs the air.

According to residential life policy, students cannot bring in their own air conditioning units. Accomodations may be made however if a physician’s note is provided and a medical reason deems it necessary.

“I have a roommate who needs air for her more severe allergies,” she said. “The simple fact of air conditioning would help them in a lot of ways.”

Although most of the classrooms and buildings on campus have air conditioning, dealing with the heat while sleeping can be tough.

Frumberg would prefer air conditioning, but she says it is more tolerable now that the heat wave is over.

“It was bad for move in day, but it is doable now,” she said. “It’s manageable, but I would prefer to have air conditioning.”

While some amenities are preferable for students in the other residence halls, housing fees are universal. The cost of room and board stands at $13,750 regardless of which residence students are assigned to, according to the Tuition and Fees page on the Iona website.

While students are allowed to rank their preferred location of residence after freshman year, the lottery system leaves it out of their control.

The Office of Residential Life was not able to comment before press time.