CMC North Quad to Receive Air Conditioning

Claremont McKenna's North Quad.

On May 6, the CMC Dean of Students office announced via email a major North Quad infrastructure upgrade. “This summer CMC is undertaking a construction project to upgrade the power grid capabilities in the North Quad residential area. The increased power capacity is the first step to eventually being able to convert all the NQ dorms to have air conditioning in the rooms in the next few years,” Senior Assistant Dean of Students for Residential Life and Student Engagement Jenny Tyniec wrote.

As a temporary measure, prior to the installation of permanent AC systems, students will be provided with portable units in every North Quad dorm room, offering “cooling and air quality improvement capacity starting this coming Fall 2025.” The portable AC units will be removed after permanent systems are installed. 

North Quad has been without AC since its construction in the 1950s. “Older buildings often require significant upgrades to the electrical and ventilation systems to support modern HVAC units,” Tyniec explained. “This kind of renovation is a large undertaking requiring significant funding, contract negotiations, precise timing of construction, and coordination across multiple campus partners.”

In the last several years, students living in North Quad have occasionally had to relocate during heat waves due to the lack of AC. In August and September of 2024, the Dean of Students office permitted students to move their mattresses to the air-conditioned North Quad lounges to escape the nighttime heat, and even set up cots in Roberts Pavilion. 

This announcement precedes room draw week and will likely factor into student housing decisions for the upcoming academic year.