Elevators in State Hall at Wayne State University An Empirical Report

Submitted to: Professor MilliganSubmitted by: Samantha La

Date: April 25th 2017

Executive SummaryStudents and faculty members of Wayne State University do not feel comfortable and

safe while using the elevators in State Hall. This is a problem affecting many people who depend

on the elevators on a daily basis. After conducting research, I will be able to showcase how much

of a problem this is to many people and what a potential solution is.

Throughout this report, you will be able to see raw results produced by participants - that

are associated with Wayne State University - who took an unbiased questionnaire. That is one

method of primary research done in this study. A second method conducted that you will see is

gathering the measurements of the actual elevators in State Hall. In addition, secondary research

has been conducted. This means you will also be given insight that derived from credible,

scholarly sources.

In the conclusion and recommendation sections of this report, you will find that the

potential solution for this problem is to upgrade the elevators in the State Hall building. More

information is provided on what could be done to improve the current elevators.

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction 3

2. Objectives 4

3. Method 4

The Questions from the Survey 4

The Participants of the Survey 6

4. Results 7

Results of the Survey 7

Results of the Measurements 10

5. Discussion 11

The Survey 11

The Measurements 12

6. Conclusion 13

7. Recommendation 13

8. References 15

9. Appendix 16

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Introduction

Elevators are seen as essential part of buildings with multiple floors. In fact, each elevator

carries 20,000 people per year per elevator (Elevator and Escalator, 2017). It is clear that plenty

of people rely on them to get where they need to be on a daily basis. One particular group of

people that heavily rely on elevators on a daily basis are college students. Those in a college

environment are required to walk from building to building and from floor to floor to get to

classes, meetings, and dorms. Therefore, students here at Wayne State University are able to

agree that elevators are crucial throughout their typical day. Unfortunately, students are not so

keen on using the elevators in State Hall of Wayne State University and do not seem to feel as

comfortable and secure as they should.

Safe and comfortable are how many organizations want their participants and community

to feel. Wayne State University states on their website that they are “committed to the safety and

security of its campus community” (“Campus Safety,” 2017). If this is true, then it is important

to acknowledge the feelings of animosity that students feel towards the elevators in State Hall.

McCann and Zaleski state that elevators seriously injure about 17,000 people each year in the

United States (McCann & Zaleski, 2006). Elevators are seen as a frightening method of

transportation due to how many people are injured by it and how it could trigger claustrophobia

and agoraphobia (Fritscher, 2017). Therefore, it is not unusual or preposterous for students to

have the strong desire for a comfortable experience.

This issue should be taken seriously if safety and comfort is a priority for Wayne State.

In order for State Hall’s elevators to achieve the level of comfort and security that the

students should feel while using it, it is important to consider what could be done to ameliorate

the current elevators. Throughout this report, you will realize how necessary it is to consider the

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recommended solution by the results of the research that has been done regarding State Hall’s

elevators at Wayne State University.

Objectives

The study’s main intention was to acquire accurate data to reveal how the people of

Wayne State University feel about the elevators of State Hall. This was done through a

questionnaire provided for any participants as long as they are a student or faculty of Wayne

State. I hypothesized that many of the students and faculties who participate will reveal negative

feelings toward the elevators in State Hall due to the knowledge I already had without

conducting formal research. In addition, the study’s intention was to find a potential solution to

the problem. This was done through secondary research. I hypothesized that the elevators should

be considered to be upgraded in the future. I also hypothesized that the process of upgrading the

elevators will be determined by factors such as cost, time, and materials. Overall, the study was

conducted by performing primary and secondary research as well as analyzing the information to

supply reasons why State Hall’s elevators are an issue and what potential solutions could be

considered.

Method

The Questions from the Survey

To collect the data for this study, I created a survey based on the elevators in State Hall at

Wayne State University. The program used for this survey was Microsoft Forms –which is a

program that allows you to create surveys and questionnaires easily. The survey involved these

four multiple choice questions to be answered by the participants:

Do you think State Hall’s elevators are spacious or small?

Do you feel comfortable and secure while using State Hall’s elevators?

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Would you like to see upgraded elevators for State Hall in the future?

If you had to rate State Hall’s elevators, what would you rate it? In this case, 5 stars

means excellent, and 1 star means poor.

I ensured that these questions were required to be answered by the participants, since the results

of these questions would reveal whether my argument would be supported or opposed. While

creating answers for the participants to choose from, I kept in mind that both answers that

support and oppose the argument of State Hall being uncomfortable and small were provided.

This allowed the participants to reveal how he or she truly felt. These four questions were not the

only ones available for the participants to answer. There were two optional questions for the

participants to answer as well.

To provide another way that the participants could express their perception of State

Hall’s elevators, I created two more questions that involved written answers. The two questions

were:

Please write any comments that you have about State Hall’s elevators.

Please write any comments you have about your experience while using State Hall’s

elevators.

I kept these two questions optional because the purpose of these questions was not the prove

whether my argument was supported or opposed. The purpose of these questions was rather to

supplement the overall result of the first four questions. In total there were six questions

available for the participants to answer. They could be seen by taking a look at figures 2 and 3 in

the appendix. The image displays exactly what the participants would view right before taking

the questionnaire.

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The Participants of the Survey

In order for a survey to reveal accurate and unbiased results, the survey should be limited

to a particular set of people. In this case, the survey about State Hall’s elevators were limited to

members of Wayne State University who rely on the elevators most often compared to anyone

else. To ensure that only members at Wayne State University participated in this survey, the

survey was posted to Academica – “a sign on portal which features a powerful social messaging

tool for all of the university community” (“Campus Safety,” 2017).

The Interpretation of the Survey

When the survey was closed, the next step was to interpret the data I have collected over

the time the survey was opened. Accounting for every single participant’s answers would

provide the most accurate and unbiased results for this study. Therefore, I calculated the

percentage of the results and recorded them in tables. These tables could be viewed further in the

results section. They are labeled table 1, table 2 and table 3.

Measurement of the Elevators

In addition to the survey, I physically measured the current elevators in State Hall for this

study. In order to do that, I retrieved a tape measure that would provide results in inches. I

measured the elevator with the help of a student majoring in construction management at Wayne

State University. With the help of a student who has experience with measuring complex objects

– or in this case systems – I was able to acquire accurate, first hand results. During this time, I

also obtained photographs of the current elevators which could be viewed in the appendix and

results section. The photograph in the appendix is labelled as figure 1 and the photograph in the

results section is labelled as image 1.

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Results

Results of the Survey

This study utilized a survey to reveal raw results given by participants affiliated with

Wayne State University. In total, there were 22 responses. The results were recorded in tables.

The first table displays results for questions 1-4 and the second table displays results for

questions 5-6 from the survey.

Table 1: Required Multiple Choice Questions from Survey (Questions 1-4)

Questions Overall Results

Do you think State Hall's elevators are spacious or small?

95% small

Do you feel comfortable and secure while using State Hall’s elevators?

59% no

Would you like to see upgraded elevators for State Hall in the future?

86% yes

If you had to rate State Hall’s elevators, what would you rate it? In this case, 5 stars means excellent and 1 star means poor.

2 stars

Table 2: Optional Question from Survey (Questions 5: “Please write any comments that you have about State Hall’s elevators.”).

Participant Participant’s Answer

Hadil Al-Turki They take a while to move up and down. Sometimes the doors stay locked for a while once we reach the floor.

Florence Grypinich The elevators seem reasonably intact but there could definitely be some work done on them to improve the safety of staff and students.

Angelica Bacol It takes a long time for it to come to your floor and to bring you to the floor you want.

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Judy Teran State Hall is the building that a lot of students have the majority of their classes there. Yet it needs a lot of upgrading. Not only the elevators, but it also needs to be cleaner and upgraded

Jenisha Patel It’s small and needs to be upgraded.

Winston Balmaceda Slow, small, but better than 4 flights of stairs.

Colin Hall Very slow, doors open before the car gets all the way to the desired floor, this is potentially dangerous.

Fatiha Alim The elevators are very cramped and obviously older in design. They do not seem to work all the time, but even when they do it doesn't feel safe to use them. The system should be upgraded so that they're easily accessible for all students and faculty, as well as comfortable and functional. Ideal elevators are those found in the UGL, Student Center, and the Manoogian Building.

Michaela Allen Because state hall is only 4 stories, I think most students should be able to use the stairs. If the elevators in State Hall were to be improved, I think the focus should be on improvement for those with wheelchairs.

Brandon Buchanan It’s fine, but wish it was a little bigger.

Charlotte Messner Honestly as a student I do not use these elevators often. I feel that they do their job and don't need to be really fancy or anything so an upgrade does not seem like a good investment in my opinion.

Erik Sheldon I love these elevators. They are the best. This is not a joke so please do not remove this from the results because you think it is, that would be academically dishonest.

Savannah Dellach Horrible.

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Haley Hatfield They’re very slow.

Shruti Sudabattula Very small, doesn’t fit many people

Table 3: Optional Question from Survey (Questions 6: “Please write any comments you have about your experience while using State Hall’s elevators.”).

Participant Participant’s Answer

Hadil Al-Turki I try not to use the elevators since there was a time in which it froze on the third floor and was not able to move to the fourth floor even when the button for the fourth floor was pressed multiple times.

Florence Grypinich My experience has been fair but as mentioned above, it could have been better.

Angelica Bacol Very small and I feel like it could easy be broken and I could be stuck inside there the entire time with no way out.

Colin Hall No bad experiences but the cars are cramped and slow

Fatiha Alim I have only used State Hall's elevators once, after which I decided not to use it again. I did not feel safe, but more cramped than usual and highly uncomfortable, throughout the entire ride (going down four flights).

Brandon Buchanan It’s kinda rocky, but it is fast so I like it.

Natalie El-Yafouri It is a tight fit, especially because most students are wearing a backpack, filling up the small space.

Erik Sheldon I fart in these elevators and strangers smell it and I giggle to myself.

Savannah Dellach Horrible.

Haley Hatfield The elevators do not seem to be functional 100% of the time, also if there are more than three people in there at a time it gets very claustrophobic.

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Shruti Sudabattula I like to take the elevator to math class but it takes forever to come down because they are slow and not many people fit.

Results of the Measurements

Image 1: Interior of the Elevator in State Hall

Table 4: Measurements of Current Elevators in State Hall in Inches. Side of Elevator Results

Length 54 inches

Width 38 inches

Height 92 inches

DiscussionThe Survey

From the results of the survey, it is clear that students feel uncomfortable and insecure

while using the elevators in State Hall. According to the survey, 95% of the participants believe

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the elevator is small and 59% do not feel as secure as they should while using the elevator. The

elevator as a whole was rated 2 stars. Therefore, a significant number of members at Wayne

State University feel as if the elevator is uncomfortable, which supports the argument made in

the beginning of the study. Additionally, 86% of the participants think it is reasonable to upgrade

the elevators in the future. This indicates that many of the participants are seeking a potential

solution to this issue. The potential solution of upgrading the current elevators are clearly

supported by members of Wayne State. In the recommendations section, I will reveal specific

solutions that would be supported by the same 86% that supports the general solution. As for the

optional questions, I received a variety of answers from different people. You can take a look at

all of the comments made by the participants in tables 2 and 3 in the results section. The majority

of the comments support the fact that State Hall’s elevators do not provide a secure ride for

members of Wayne State. They enhance the results of the first four mandatory questions by

providing the participant’s own words. All in all, these results support my hypothesis that

members at Wayne State do not feel comfortable and secure in State Hall’s elevators. This is

truly an issue that needs to be solved by either replacing or upgrading the current elevators.

The Measurements

After measuring the current elevators of State Hall, I came to the conclusion that the

dimensions support the argument that the elevators should be upgraded to be more spacious. The

amount of space that the elevator provides for its users highly impacts the experience the users

have. This could be proven by taking a look at tables 1-3 in the results section. In addition, table

4 displays the results of the elevator’s current dimensions. The length was measured to be 54

inches and the width was measured to be 38 inches. Lastly, the height was measured to be 92

inches. These dimensions could be proven to be intolerably small for the members of Wayne

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State University. According to the United Nations, the minimum acceptable size of an existing

elevator cab for one wheelchair alone is 37 inches by 49 inches (“ARCHITECTURAL

DESIGN,” 2004). Also, the United Nations mentioned that, for future designs, it is

recommended that the dimensions were 39 inches by 51 inches (“ARCHITECTURAL

DESIGN,” 2004). Clearly, the elevators in State Hall do not meet the width requirements. One

single wheelchair could struggle to fit comfortably in State Hall’s elevators. This is an issue

because the dimensions of the elevator exclude those who heavily rely on them to get where they

need to be. Not recognizing that there are people with disabilities who use wheelchairs that

require the use of an elevator does not fulfill Wayne State’s goal which states, “We will create

and advance knowledge, prepare a diverse student body to thrive, and positively impact

local and global communities” (Our Mission, 2017). In addition to all of this, the UN also

states that wide elevators are preferred over long ones to accommodate those with

wheelchairs. Wayne State’s elevators in State Hall does not fulfill this preference either.

Action needs to be taken so that, in the future, students and faculty that depend on

wheelchairs could attend classes and meetings in State Hall.

Conclusion

This report dissected the opinions of students and faculty at Wayne State University on

State Hall’s elevators and took a look at the elevator itself. Both of these were done to support

the hypothesis that the elevators in State Hall are not providing the experience students and

faculty deserve and that the issue should be taken seriously. If the issue was to be taken

seriously, the future of State Hall’s elevators could obtain a reputation for being a pleasant

amenity. Many people of Wayne State University rely on them every day of their lives to get

where they need to go – whether to class or a meeting. It is important to provide those who rely

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on them – especially those who do not have the option of using stairs – with a safe and

comfortable experience.

Recommendations

From the results of this study, I am able to present potential solutions that should be

considered to fix the issue of State Hall’s uncomfortable and insecure elevators. I generally

recommend that the current elevators should be replaced. The current elevators should be

replaced with hydraulic elevators – inexpensive and recommended for low rise buildings (Sachs,

Misuriello, & Kwatra, 2015). Because State Hall is only four stories high, the hydraulic elevators

would be sufficient. In addition, the hydraulic elevators “exist for convenience and compliance

with the American Disabilities Act” (Sachs, Misuriello, & Kwatra, 2015). This would satisfy the

need for accommodating those who rely on wheelchairs to get where they need to be. I

recommend that removing the second elevator in State Hall would be beneficial so that one large

elevator could be built. Since, like stated earlier, the building is only four stories high, one

elevator would be sufficient to bring students and faculty to the floor they desire quickly. In

addition, there would be more room for more students and faculty to fit in the elevator – reducing

the energy used and accommodating more people at a time. These recommendations could be

satisfied by the company Schindler Elevator Corporation. Schindler Elevator Corporation is in

Detroit and offers plenty of options such as installing new elevators, repairing current elevators,

design and modernizing current elevators.

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References

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS. (2004). Accessibility for the Disabled – A Design Manual for a Barrier Free Environment.

Campus Safety. (2017). Wayne State University. Retrieved from https://wayne.edu/safety/

Computing & Information Technology. (2017). Wayne State University. Retrieved fromhttps://computing.wayne.edu/academica/

Elevator and Escalator Fun Fact. (2017). New York, National Elevator Industry, Inc.

Fritscher, Lisa. (2017). What is the Fear of Elevators? Verywell. Retrieved fromhttps://www.verywell.com/what-is-the-fear-of-elevators-2671765

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McCann, M., & Zaleski, N. (2006). Deaths and injuries involving elevators and escalators. Deaths and injuries involving elevators or escalators. 3rd ed.

The Center to Protect Workers’ Rights, 8.

Our Mission. (2017). Wayne State University. Retrieved from https://wayne.edu/about/mission

Sachs, H., Misuriello, H., & Kwatra, S. (2015). Elevator efficiency: 90.1 and beyond. ASHRAETransactions, 121, 1FF.

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Appendix

Figure 1: Outside of the elevators in State Hall on Tuesday March 21st, 2017.

Figure 2: Questions 1-2 from the perspective of the participants who take the survey.

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Figure 3: Questions 3-6 from the perspective of the participants who take the survey.

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