Approximately one week ago, freshman Samuel Hamilton fell out of his window in Centennial Hall, leading the University to inspect the residence hall’s windows to ensure safety.

“We did have our facility staff and building general contractor take a look at the windows in the building, and they have determined that the windows are safe,” University Spokesman Dave Kielmeyer said the day Hamilton fell.

“[The inspection] was just to make sure there are no defects,” said Sarah Waters, director of Residence Life. “[The University had the] windows inspected to make sure nothing about the window might have contributed to the situation.”

The windows in Centennial Hall slide back and forth horizontally, Waters said.

They open about four inches with a “stopper” in place, said Steve Krakoff, associate vice president of capital planning and design. The stopper is a long black bar. Without it, the windows can open up to 18 inches, he said.

“[The stoppers] are not screwed in, but it takes very significant force to pull them out,” Krakoff said.

The presence of the removable stopper is typical and meets Ohio building code, he said.

“It’s a stop; there’s one to prevent the window from being open any more than we would consider appropriate,” Krakoff said.

Waters referred to the black bar as a “safety bar” and said in Hamilton’s room window the safety bar had been removed. It was found in his room.

As far as guidelines or safety requirements for residence hall windows, it is typically good for a slider window to open no more than roughly six inches, so “no one can accidentally fall out of them,” Waters said.

Krakoff’s department, along with Residence Life, formed a development team which included an architect and construction company who set guidelines for the windows in Centennial Hall.

“This is a very typical window design in situation and size in contemporary residence halls,” Krakoff said. “I think that’s just generally considered an appropriate opening for a window of that type.”

There are screens on the window that Krakoff said are attached with fasteners.

“The screens are pretty loose in the frame,” said Cassie Baker, freshman and a Centennial Hall resident.

In Hamilton’s room, the screen was not in the window either, Waters said.

“If an individual or a group of individuals acting on their own-if they are determined to open the window beyond what we would deem to be the appropriate amount-you can’t possibly stop them,” Krakoff said. “You can only do so much.”