U Of C Students: Dorm Is Plagued With Exploding Toilets, Other Hazards

College students never expect the equivalent of five-star hotel accommodations at their dorms, but some University of Chicago students say the conditions at one dorm cross the line to the unacceptable. Pierce Hall, 5514 S. University Ave., is a 10-story dormitory dating from 1960. It’s divided into four houses named after U of C professors and other scholars — Henderson, Tufts, Shorey and Thompson. The dorm is as eclectic and quirky as the U of C itself — Shorey House residents have an annual tradition of painting a “bizarre and idolistic statue” that stands in their house lounge...