By: Catherine Spicer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – August 25, 2026

A water leak occurred inside Reid Hall on August 20, which resulted in dorm residents being evacuated and provided alternative housing on campus or in surrounding hotels such as the Graduate.

Robyn Starling-Ledbetter, senior director of marketing and communications for the Division of Student Affairs, said there was a leak being repaired before the flooding began.

“I do not know that it was necessarily a user error,” Starling-Ledbetter said. “I know there were rumors that it was urine water. It was not. It was clean water.”

Chandler Tinch, a freshman business major, is currently displaced at the Graduate Hotel. She was on the eighth floor of Reid Hall during the flooding and said she saw about 3 inches of water in the hallways.

“I grabbed my baby blanket and ran downstairs,” Tinch said. “Thankfully I was already in my pajamas because it was 11:45 at night.”

Tinch said she is grateful everyone is safe and plans to stay at the Graduate until Saturday.

“I know a lot of girls have different opinions about how the [resident assistants] and hall directors have been treating us,” Tinch said. “But I think they are just trying to do the best that they can.”

Starling-Ledbetter said all residents should be able to return to their dorm by the end of the week.

“Anything that involves safety, like mold issues or things being damp, there is a Servpro company that has been drying the carpets out and will also treat all of the carpets with a microbial solution that is to prevent mold and any other issues there within the actual property itself,” Ledbetter said.

Students who are in need of assistance can reach out to University Housing at 479-575-4687. Students can also submit a Fix-It ticket for any maintenance issues.