Hot Tub Installation on Michigan Campus Roof a Mystery

Officials are puzzled over a mysterious hot tub that was installed – and then removed – from the roof of a building on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor.

But a group of “creative” students are believed to be the culprits, Computer Science and Engineering building spokesman Steven Crang told AnnArbor.com on Friday.

Initially reported by the Michigan Daily campus newspaper, the hot tub first was noticed Saturday, had visitors and was gone by Monday night.

“People were kind of flabbergasted,” Crang said. “It was obviously unexpected. It was pretty creative and now it’s gone. It left a buzz in its wake.”

Despite its short stay, students called the hot tub the Bob and Betty Beyster Bubbler after the couple who donated $15 million to the school. The building is named after them.

The philanthropic couple “found it amusing,” Crang said.

“It’s apparently people who are close to the department because they were able to gain access to the building and install the tub,” he said of whoever installed it. “The thing that intrigued everyone was that it was on the fourth-floor balcony. It’s a large hot tub and the doors that lead out to the balcony are not real big, so they had to do some work to get it out there.”