Students in Stevenson North and South may enjoy cleaner air in their rooms as heating plant workers cleaned and installed more than 900 new filters during Winter Break.

“They’re changed at least once a year,” said Kevin Vines, chief engineer at the heating plant. “We would like to get them changed twice a year, but it’s so hard with the occupancy levels.”

The filters were changed following routine maintenance, though they had been neglected for a while, Vines said.

“Whatever we can do to make things better, we do,” Vines said.

Housing and Dining helped plant workers by supplying extra hands.

“Housing also gave us money for workers from an outside company,” Vines said.

Four people were hired from Clean Air, a company that worked with NIU the past three years.

The workers coordinated with Housing and Dining to get word out to students about the new filters. Students were to move personal items in the rooms to make it easier for workers.

“Housing put signs on all the floors, a notice was included on the move-out checklist and information was in the Huskie newsletter,” said Michael Stang, director of residential operations.

Some students abided by the request.

“I moved my stuff around and, with the new filters, it’s too hot in my room,” said Scott Holle, senior history major who lives in Stevenson South.

The heating issue doesn’t stop with Holle’s room.

“It’s a lot hotter now,” said Natasha Bojovic, junior public health major. “There’s no switch on the heater either, so I had to open my window.”