To the Campus Community:
As you may have heard in the news, owners of Samsung Galaxy Note7 mobile phones are being asked to exchange those devices to avoid potential fire dangers associated with their battery cells.
In the interest of campus safety, we are urging UConn students and employees who own one of the models to heed the manufacturers’ request as soon as possible.
As of Sept. 1, the company said it had received 35 reports of Galaxy Note7 phones catching on fire or even exploding, including 17 instances in the U.S. Clearly this represents a danger not only to our students and employees, but also our buildings and other assets.
UConn has not banned the presence of these phones entirely on campus at this time, but encourages owners to follow the exchange steps outlined by Samsung in this directive.
UConn Public Safety will continue to monitor reports from the manufacturer and others about potential safety issues with the device. As a reminder, the ban enacted earlier this year on hoverboards due to fire hazards remains in place on all UConn property.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping ensure safety throughout the UConn community.
Sincerely,
John Mancini
UConn Fire Chief
For more information, contact: Stephanie Reitz at 860-486-0871