Dear RAE
It's time for me to get to the bottom of this matter. Is there really a lack of oxygen in this building? Seems like the only kind of breathing one can do in this place is snoring. Nobody studies here because we can't. We might as well attempt to study in the field of red poppies. What's the deal RAE? I'll be back for an answer after my nap. Zzzz . . .
No. There's no lack of oxygen in the building, though we do have places where the air feels stale from time to time. That's really a problem of air circulation. When we notice such problems (or have them reported to us) we point them out to the B&G staff and they try to adjust the air-handling fans. You might consider the possibility that there's another reason for your tendency to want to take naps. Tiredness, perhaps, or maybe even a tendency to procrastinate?
—RAE 10/8/92
PS: I've never noticed a lack of people studying in Mudd.
In response to several questions on this topic, we recently had all floors of Mudd checked by the Director of Environmental Health and Safety. She used a TMS410 monitor that checks very accurately for levels of both oxygen and carbon monoxide. "Absolutely no carbon monoxide" registered on her meter and "all oxygen readings were between 21.0% and 21.2% of volume — the same as the ambient air outside at this altitude." Many students were observed sleeping at the time. So, folks, let's forget this oxygen deprivation stuff and get on with our work — and our naps.
—RAE 12/13/94