Several buildings across Brandeis' campus have experienced leaks and structural damage as a result of the recent rains. Almost every residential quad has experienced flooding or leaking problems, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Director of Community Living Jeremy Leiferman. There have been reports from students and staff members of flooding in several residence halls, and ceilings collapsed in the Shapiro Residence Hall and in the Usen Castle. The Usdan Student Center experienced minor flooding on Sunday, and leaks in the library led to the temporary closure of the Farber Green Room.

Library and Technology Services Director for Integrated Services Josh Wilson said in an interview with the Justice that the library had experienced some window and roof leaks on the first floor and Mezzanine level of the Farber Library that led to the temporary closing of the Farber Green Room as well as some other minor leaks in the Farber and Goldfarb libraries, but he called the flooding "fairly minimal."

He added that some people were affected by leaks in the Green Room last night and today. He said that some ceiling panels had fallen and others were waterlogged, so LTS staff decided to take the safest route and temporarily close the room, although he said that classes had taken place in the Farber classroom. He said that library staff planned to re-open the first floor of the Green Room at midnight this morning.

Laurel Adams '12, a resident of the Usen Castle, said that a leak had developed in her roof on Sunday morning and the resulting leak had forced her to move everything off of her desk. Adams said that she had put in a work order to Facilities Services around 9 p.m. on Sunday night, but that no one from Facilities had been by to look at the damage. She did say, however, that two representatives of the Department of Community Living had viewed the damage.

Vice President for Campus Operations Mark Collins could not be reached for comment by press time because he is currently off campus.

Adams also said that her neighbor's roof collapsed and that the neighbor had to be moved out of her room. She added that the hallway was partially flooded and that in the Castle Commons, roof panels were waterlogged and falling from the ceiling .

Aziz Sohail '13, who lives in the Shapiro Residence Hall, said that he woke up on Sunday morning to find water on the floor of his room. He said that he thought the water was coming in through the windows and that while he considered putting in a work order, he decided just to mop up the water with a towel.

According to an article in the Boston Globe, Governor Deval Patrick declared a state wide state of emergency yesterday in response to the continuing rains. Patrick said that Eastern Massachusetts has been hit particularly hard and that the communities of Waltham, Melrose and Lawrence specifically were dealing with spreading flooding problems.

"Fred Laskey, executive director of the [Massachusetts Water Resources Agency], said the agency considers this weather pattern to be at least a 25-year storm-meaning it's a rainstorm that occurs just once every 25 years-- and fears it may be a 50-year storm by the time the rain stops," according to the Globe article.



-Nashrah Rahman contributed reporting.