The elevators in Packer Hall were temporarily shut down late last week, forcing residents to take the stairs in the seven-floor dorm.

Elevator surfing, which involves prying open an elevator door between floors to climb in the shaft, is part of the reason for the shut down, said Clifford Lutz, Penn State police supervisor.

Packer Hall residents have reported seeing people open the elevator car between floors and climb under the car and into the shaft, Lutz said.

Most recently, the vandals filled up the elevator shaft with fire extinguisher powder, Lutz said.

Although the elevators are now operating, David Manos, assistant director of East Halls housing, said the elevators will be shut down again if the elevator vandalism continues.

David Elder (freshman-biotechnology), a sixth-floor resident of Packer Hall, said people had "apparently sprayed a fire extinguisher and were playing in the elevator shaft."

Manos did not comment about vandalism, but did say there were three extinguishers sprayed in the basement.

Tuesday, one of the elevators was re-opened for use, Elder said.

"We decided to open one elevator up because we have a person on the 7th floor with a broken foot," Manos said.

Elder said shutting down the elevators affects all residents in Packer Hall just to punish a few vandals.

There are about 280 students living in Packer, Manos said.

He said the elevators were shut down to ensure the safety of the vandals and the other residents in Packer Hall.

"We always fail on the side of safety," he said.

"In this situation, the students have engaged in behavior that is extremely unsafe, and unfortunately, as administration of the university, we're in a no-win situation."

An investigation is being conducted, Lutz said.

Vandalism in elevators is common, Lutz said, and includes, "smashing control keys and, of course, urinating in the elevators and trashing the elevators."

Elder said installing cameras in the elevators would be a better solution to solving the problem of vandalism.

Packer Hall residents were informed earlier in the semester that cameras would be installed in the elevators, Elder said.

Lutz said he could not comment on the possibility of surveillance cameras being placed in the Packer Hall elevators.

"If there are security cameras, they'll be placed where people could see them," Lutz said.

"If they're surveillance cameras, they wouldn't see them and we wouldn't comment on them."

On Sunday, the East Halls housing staff and a Penn State police officer met with residents of Packer Hall to explain the situation. "It was a statement by them that they can and will shut off the elevator," Elder said.