The emergency telephone in Mendocino Hall proved to be ineffective around 11:50 a.m. when six students were stuck in the elevator after waiting nearly 30 minutes for help. Students said they used the emergency phone twice to have someone sent over.

The elevator was stuck on the first floor before it opened on its own.

University Police student volunteers called for help at noon and said help would be present in two minutes. At 12:08 p.m., help still hadn’t arrived. The elevator doors opened shortly after and the six students who were sitting on the ground of the elevator rushed to class.

One of the students, senior communications major Jeff Schaffer, said: “It was hot and it took them so long to send someone.”

The emergency phone is routed to Public Safety, said Mark Leisz, manager of Customer Service and Facilities.

Another student, senior communications major Azizi Traylor, waited outside of the elevator for her friend who was one of the students inside.

“She’s really nervous and panicked,” Traylor said. “She was scared that no one was coming for help.”

University Police Sgt. Kelly Clark could not be reached at press time.

Associate Vice President of Facilities Services Thamsyne Brown could not be reached at press time.

Jacqueline Tualla contributed to this report.

Rosa Pastran and Jacqueline Tualla can be reached at [email protected].