Two weeks ago, Campus Club suddenly shut down with a note attached to the front door that indicated that the club would be closed overnight from Sept. 14 to Sept. 15. The top floor of Campus Club has also been closed at times during the past couple of weeks, including all day on Sept. 18, raising questions as to what’s going on the top floor.
While the top floor was closed, operations on the first floor and the Coffee Club, located in the basement, continued as normal. Multiple students confirmed to The Daily Princetonian that it was communicated to them that fleas on the top floor were responsible for the closure.
The secrecy of the infestation and fumigation has raised concerns for potential health and safety violations, given that Coffee Club serves food and drink in Campus Club, just two floors below the fumigation site. Coffee Club has a dedicated clientele, and Campus Club in general attracts many students in search of a place to work.
In an email to the ‘Prince,’ University spokesperson Ahmad Rizvi wrote that “Environmental Health and Safety worked with Building Services and Princeton’s integrated pest management program contractor to treat the interior and exterior of the Campus Club building.”
“The remediation was successful. Campus Club was closed during the treatment and for the recommended period of time afterwards to ensure the health and safety of the Princeton community. As is protocol, the pest management contractor will continue to monitor the building to ensure that the issue does not return to the space,” Rizvi wrote.
Coffee Club employees declined to comment on the issue, and directed ‘Prince’ staff to contact Noah James ’25, the Executive Director of Coffee Club. James did not respond to a request for comment from the ‘Prince.’
An anonymous student reported that the flea infestation was first reported to Coffee Club leadership in late August. The fumigation appears to have taken place in mid-September.
This is not the first time the University has dealt with infestations. In 2011, the University noted an uptick in the number of reported infestations across campus.
According to statistics released by University Housing Services, 134 pest extermination requests have been filed since the academic year began in September, an 11.6 percent increase over requests filed by the same time last year.
The University also dealt with an ongoing bedbug issue back in 2014.
“Bed bugs continue to be a problem in Holder Hall and Forbes College,” a contemporary article reads. "Following two reports of bed bugs last September, at least four reports were confirmed this March. The students have been temporarily moved to graduate housing, a move different from last year, when four students were moved to single rooms in 1915 [H]all, in Butler College.”
In a written statement to the ‘Prince,’ Gabriela Cejas ’25 gave her opinion on the fleas at Campus Club.
“I would say that’s very unfortunate but honestly not as bad as the time I was studying there on the third floor with one of my friends and we heard a squeaking noise, and realized that there was a mouse. Anyways, I would choose fleas over mice any day,” she wrote.
“I love Coffee Club,” she added.
Matteo Torres is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
