A cockroach problem has perturbed students in Gilbert Hall despite attempts from WKU Housing and Residence Life to eradicate the pests.
HRL has received six maintenance requests in Gilbert Hall due to pests as of Aug. 29, according to Katie Corbin, assistant director of marketing and communications for HRL. Corbin said requests for pests in Gilbert are higher than in other dorms this year.
“Our contracted pest control service has been spraying and is continuing to monitor the areas,” Corbin said. “Pests seek out moisture and cooler places during hot and dry weather, so it is common to see an increase in pest issues during high temperatures, as well”
Reports of roaches on the fourth floor of Gilbert Hall surfaced as early as WKU’s Top Drop and Go move-in weekend, from Aug. 2-4.
According to Paris Barkes, sophomore criminology major, there were two dead roaches in her room when she arrived on Aug. 3.
Barkes said she assumed maintenance sprayed for pests prior to her arrival, which would have exterminated them. However, she said there was a roach scaling the ceiling of her dorm room over two weeks later.
Barkes’s roommate submitted a maintenance request to HRL on Wednesday, Aug. 21 following the incident. According to Barkes, the request was fulfilled on Aug. 26, and she said she has not seen any more roaches in her room.
Shelby Burnett, sophomore elementary education major, has observed multiple roaches in her room, on the same floor of Barkes’s, since Aug. 27.
“One of them literally fell on her [Burnett’s roommate] head the other night and then the next morning she opened her closet and one was sitting on her dresser,” Burnett said.
Burnett said the earliest date staff could fulfill her Aug. 29 maintenance request is Sept. 5. The latest is Sept. 19.
Maintenance also sprays areas that frequently allure pests, Corbin said.
“In addition to the specific rooms that turned in maintenance requests, the contracted pest control team sprays common areas, ESA/mechanical closets, areas leading outside, and any other area that would be an assumed attractive spot for pests,” Corbin said. “These spots have been closely monitored and sprayed/checked multiple times.”
Barkes said roach sightings in the bathrooms persisted after the floor’s resident assistant informed the tenants that the hallways and bathrooms had already been sprayed.
Pest problems were not limited to Barkes and Burnett’s floor.
Haley King, senior sociology major and non-profit minor, has seen three roaches in her room in Gilbert Hall since Aug. 20.
King said she submitted a maintenance request the same day, and the pest team sprayed the premises and placed traps on Aug. 23.
Despite the prevalence of roaches in Gilbert, maintenance requests for pests campus-wide are down 57% from last year, according to Corbin.
“If students are experiencing pest issues and have not submitted a request, they should do so immediately on the WKU Housing Portal through my.wku.edu,” Corbin said. “Students can help prevent pest issues by cleaning their rooms often and taking their trash to the outdoor trash compactors frequently.”
News reporter Kane Smith can be contacted at kane.smith490@topper.wku.edu.
