Campus telephone service interrupted indefinitely

Telephones throughout the Citrus College campus are inoperable today, and will likely remain so for at least a week.  College email, the Citrus website and Blackboard remain operational. 

A Citrus-Alert was sent out via text message and e-mail at 10:13 a.m. informing students and faculty of the breakdown which resulted from a construction problem.

The basement of the Administration Building, currently undergoing a complete remodeling, was flooded during a rainstorm Tuesday night, causing damage to the phone control panel, according to Carol Horton, vice president of finance and administrative services.

Jesse Castillo, a general contractor with Pacific West Construction, said that he did not expect the rain to damage the control panel.

“We had something in place to prevent the panels from getting wet but it didn’t work,” Castillo said.  “The roof drains were pouring water directly onto the panels.”

Repairing of the control panel could take one to two weeks, said Fred Diamond, director of facilities and construction at Citrus College.

“Repairing the control panel could be delayed because we have to order the part to replace the damaged one and wait for it to arrive,” Diamond said.

PAC West is responsible for all costs of damage and repair under its contract, Horton said.

The cost for repair is not yet known.

Spring break, a week during which classes are not in session, begins April 16.

Horton said that she does not think the phone system being inoperable during this time period will delay or affect work flow for faculty and staff.

“It might be good for us to get some exercise and walk places to communicate with one another,” Horton said.  “It’s kind of nice being in the silence and not hearing your phone go off.”