A viral TikTok showing Ohio State University students sleeping across furniture in a residence hall basement has renewed attention on the lack of air-conditioning in some campus housing.
The video, posted Sept. 2 by TikTok user @kalamitykaths, shows several people lying on couches, chairs and tables in the basement of Mack Hall.
On-screen text says students were sleeping there because the building was 93 degrees and did not have air-conditioning. The video has received more than 200,000 views.
Ohio State spokesperson Dave Isaacs said students are allowed to sleep in cooler common spaces, though they cannot bring large amounts of personal belongings because the areas are not intended for extended stays.
About 1,700 of the roughly 14,000 students
living on campus reside in buildings that do not have air-conditioning, Isaacs said.
Here's how the university is responding.
How is Ohio State helping students during the heat?
During the recent heat wave, Ohio State sent affected students lists of air-conditioned spaces inside their residence halls and other places on campus where they could cool down.
The university also installed large fans in hallways, stocked refrigerators with water and frozen treats and offered one free box fan per room. Students can request a fan through Ohio State’s Service2Facilities website.
Isaacs said the older residence halls were designed to allow more airflow than newer buildings, which helped reduce some of the heat.
Students with specific needs may also request an alternate housing assignment or temporary room relocation, he said.
Isaacs did not provide university-recorded temperature readings from the affected residence halls.
When will Ohio State add air-conditioning to residence halls?
Ohio State’s Board of Trustees approved $4.7 million on Sept. 3 to install air-conditioning in Baker Hall.
Design work will take place during the 2026-27 academic year, followed by construction in summer 2027 to avoid disrupting students, Isaacs said.
Each room will receive an individual air-conditioning unit that allows students to control the temperature. The project will also include upgrades to electrical panels, switchboards and outlets needed to support the units.
Ohio State tested the system through a pilot project at Mendoza House. Isaacs said the university decided to expand it to Baker Hall after the pilot’s success.
The university eventually plans to install the system in its other residence halls without air-conditioning but has not established a timeline.
"We are moving forward as quickly as possible," Isaacs said.
The Baker project is part of a broader effort to modernize Ohio State’s aging residential facilities. Trustees also approved $145 million for renovations to Taylor and Drackett towers.
Isaacs said the university is developing a comprehensive residence hall plan covering housing, dining, recreation, academic engagement and student services. The planning process will include input from students, families, faculty, staff, alumni and university partners and is expected to take several years.
Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Viral TikTok prompts response from Ohio State on dorm AC concerns
