Mushrooms began to grow. The lawsuit argues the university knew of mold growing in the dormitory before students moved in but alleges the university "directed maintenance workers to conceal the health threat by painting . Bring it on. Look closely, and you can see a mushroom growing from the ceiling of a hallway in Capstone in January 2021. But it seems to me that the problem is prevalent enough that your son could land in a moldy dorm room almostanywhere, despite the precautions youre taking now. The newspaper teamed up with its Uncovered partners, a collaboration of local newspapers across South Carolina that explores questionable government conduct. Colleges and students should treat mold as a serious problem. If You can purchase do-it-yourself tests but they are not nearly as accurate, and the results can vary greatly if they are not used correctly. So much so that she transferred to the University of South Carolina. You can see this backlog in work orders at South Carolina universities: air conditioning systems that werent working properly, dirty vents and filters, and broken bathroom exhaust fans; all can lead to moisture problems and mold. At Clemson, Bennett Brooks, a sophomore in the duplex-style Thornhill Village residences, said he felt lethargic and had a runny nose for months. Broward County Courthouse, Florida (2013) -- Former Florida prosecutor Stefanie Krathen Ginnis, who claimed that mold exposure at the Broward County Courthouse caused severe sinus problems, received a $166,500 settlement from the county (19 current and former county employees have filed suit for mold-related illnesses). Want to contact your legislators about an issue that matters to you? To better understand molds impact on South Carolina college students, the Uncovered collaboration sought complaints, tests and work orders from 12 of the states largest public universities. So far, the project has progressed exceptionally well, said Tom Morrison, IUs vice president for capital planning and facilities. A new filing in a lawsuit alleges that Indiana University at Bloomington pressured its health center to play down the likelihood that student illnesses had been caused by dorm-room mold. But she remains worried about any lasting effects of the problems she had while at Oklahoma. School officials here downplayed students' concerns. According to the report, the university is assuring students they are taking measures to treat the mold problem. I cleaned out all the vents and got a dehumidifier, and it went away in like three days.. Over the past two years, universities logged at least 2,400 mold-related cases, with USCs 840 reports leading the pack. These documents are available to the public under the states Freedom of Information Act. program, Proposed rule change would require audio recording for all hearings, prohibit stenography. Interest from students and housing officials and even state government. They included seemingly minor reports about mold in showers. While Olivias father admits officials havent proven the mold as a cause, he points out that it didnt help either. And the way housing handled it was abhorrent., Amid this backdrop, officials in charge of residence halls have their own headaches a massive maintenance backlog that an industry journal recently described as a slow lurch toward crisis.. For instance, it could be the result of construction defects, faulty materials, poor architectural design, or the previous owner's failure to disclose known problems. Mold or not, maintaining old buildings and so much space "is a difficult situation that we have to deal with," said Cliff Hamilton, director of environmental health and safety. John A. Carlos II/Special to The Post and Courier, In her sophomore year in 2020, Kayra Rice noticed mold growing in the bathroom. Gabby Alphonse, Dec. 28, 2022 | cleaning. In South Carolina, a group of students at Morris College in Sumter filed a $55 million class action lawsuit alleging that dorms there made them sick. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Ceilings are collapsing. Alvin Powell. Wear When you get exposed to mold, it weakens your immune system. Lander University found mold in at least 46 rooms during an inspection of Chipley Hall in late 2021. and David Ferrara of The (Clemson) Tiger, By Nicole Ziege zjeffries@postandcourier.com, The Berkeley Independent - Moncks Corner, SC, Mold U: Hundreds of Clemson students filed mold reports, 'Alarming' mold reports found in CCU, officials respond, Mold notebook: Which SC colleges had the most mold reports, SC State student's death continues to spawn questions, Plagued by errors and delay in the primary, Beaufort County says the general election is on track, Editorial: The simple first step to solving the insidious problem of mold in SC colleges, SC coroner flouts transparency laws, hires ex-SC State police chief caught in scam, Richland Two superintendent resigns after 6-hour closed-door board meeting, Charleston's Carnival ship set sail on a cruise to nowhere. Reviewed by Chris Meyers, Esq. After Carrs death, The Post and Courier obtained more than 3,700 pages of mold-related complaints and expenses over the past two years from South Carolinas public residential colleges and universities. Then, the freshman contracted the same strain of Adenovirus that recently killed 11 children in New Jersey. South Carolina college students faced at least 2,400 possible cases of mold in their dorms during the past two years, living spaces that make students sick. His roommate got sick again. However, students are now raising health concerns they claim the mold might have caused. From the Dakotas to Florida, students at more than 135 U.S. colleges also had newsworthy mold problems in recent years, a new searchable Post and Courier database shows. Shared bathrooms also mean increased humidity that can lead to the growth of mold. In a college dorm situation, the only real way to prevent a mold problem is by working together. We recently received a request for information about mold in college dorms. The problem has been identified as mold. They basically badgered the school into drilling a hole through the wall and going in with a camera, he said. nziege@postandcourier.com, By Tony Bartelme Grace Beahm Alford/Staff, SOURCE: UNIVERSITY DOCUMENTS FROM FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS. Send concurrent emails to these additional officials on each campus: the director of the health services, the dean of residence life, and the facilities/physical plant manager. In addition to these measures, colleges should consider performing routine mold inspections. Every time I would come home for the weekend, I would feel magically better, Blaschke said. Built in 2002, McAlister soon developed chronic moisture problems. Still, the situation does bring up the question: what should colleges do about mold and its prevention? Uncovereds goal is to put a spotlight on government conduct while supporting community news organizations amid a growing landscape of news deserts in rural areas. A Georgetown spokeswoman, Meghan Dubyak, pointed out that last year was Washingtons wettest on record, and that the university had initiated proactive steps to prevent mold and promptly respond to all reported cases within two business days. She added that the Georgetown board of directors had recently allocated $75 million to improve campus infrastructure, with a focus on student residences. The place is awful now, a student in Clemson Universitys Lightsey Bridge complex told school officials in October 2021. Mold is such a common occurrence here that we dont take pictures of it. It spread to the ceiling tiles in the hallway outside of her door. Mitigating LSU Dorm Mold LSU's protocol for dealing with a report of mold or mildew has three parts. Mold in college dorms does seem to be a growing problem (no pun intended). Does Mold Have To Be Professionally Removed? According to the report, Olivia suffered from Crohns disease and a weak immune system. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I wish I wouldve just walked into the bathroom and looked up. LAWRENCE, Kan. - The University of Kansas is paying a former student-athlete $40,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming she became ill because of mold in the vents of her dormitory room. They said they were forced to focus on reactive maintenance, fixing problems as they came up, rather than creating and following a comprehensive maintenance plan. This official can tell you what the college policies are when it comes to selecting on-campus housing for students with severe mold allergies, what happens to those who need to change dorms, and what provisions are made for students who feel that they cannot live on campus at all, even if they are required to do so. But some reported much more serious problems, including vermin and mold. Those projects made more than 2,000 beds unavailable at the residence halls forcing students to live off campus. Students said they found mold on their desks, mattresses, couches and even their hats. He recalled the case of a student from the Charleston area who had a full athletic scholarship to a college in Virginia. Mold growing behind a bed in Capstone House during spring 2022. IU Lawsuit by Indiana Public Media News on Scribd. He was sick, sneezing, coughing, face was white and clammy.. But she worries about her roommates at her first college, the ones who had to stay in the dorm that made her feel so ill, the ones left behind. Some will simply get stuffy noses or itchy, watery eyes. She also taught language arts, social studies, study skills and test preparation in 10 schools, including American international schools in London, Paris, Geneva, Athens and Tel Aviv. if possible. Its all gotten so bad for many, many years that now its reaching the breaking point, Mr. Lyons said. Address water problems in the dorm, such as soaked carpets. Many mold strains generate toxins that trigger myriad health problems, from asthma and allergies to brain fog. They spoke about tough budgets and the challenges of managing aging buildings for thousands of students. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Molds also generate poisonous byproducts called mycotoxins. Over the past year our bathroom has gotten so moldy that it looks like a hazard to our health. Reduced immunity. When College Dormitories Become Health Hazards Putting up with dinginess is a rite of passage for many college students. So far, the project has progressed exceptionally well, said Tom Morrison, IUs vice president for capital planning and facilities. Copyright 2023, Thomson Reuters. 1 hr ago South Carolina college students faced at least 2,400 possible cases of mold in their dorms during the past two years, a crush of complaints and repairs that highlight a growing local and national problem: college living spaces that make students sick. First, they bring in their maintenance team and [] This may be partially because theres growing awareness, too, but I suspect that there are other contributing factors as well (e.g., dwindling dollars earmarked for facilities overhauls and clean-ups). The agreement released Tuesday says the university and Evans used mediation in the case to avoid the expense and uncertainty of litigation. The newspaper details how Maryland is taking care of this issue. College newspapers also have been hard hit, but The Daily Gamecock continues to have a robust presence. Twitter: @tbartelme 843-790-0805, South Carolina college students reported more than 2,400 mold cases during the past two years, often citing allergy flare-ups and other symptoms while desperately pleading with housing officials to do something. Aspergillus, a common strain found on the coast, can produce a mycotoxin called aflatoxin, a known carcinogen. tbartelme@postandcourier.com Grace Beahm Alford gbeahm@postandcourier.com, Toxic mold is making college miserable for thousands in SC, across the nation, By Nathaniel Cary The mold kept coming back. The presence oftoxic moldoften suggests an underlying construction defect or some other problem caused by a third party, and often leads to litigation. Certainly for some students like your son, the answer is a clear-cut, A lot!. Brown normally does not allow students to bring air-conditioners to campus, but the humidity and heat in her room were so bad, she said, that facilities workers recommended that she buy one for the space. An internal USC publication previously dubbed him the "mold detective." How Can You Prevent Mold in College Dorms? This photo was included in one of the inspection reports obtained by The Post and Courier. Even before college, Rice knew she was sensitive to mold based on earlier tests by her allergist. But some molds can cause serious health problems once they get a foothold into your home or workplace, particularly "black mold." During her sophomore year in 2020, Rice noticed mold growing in the bathroom she shared with her roommates. Despite efforts to clean up the mold, university officials agreed that only a full-scale renovation of the residence centers would eliminate it, The Herald Times of Bloomington reported. Dive Brief: A new filing in a potential class-action lawsuit alleges officials at Indiana University Bloomington pressured staff physicians to avoid telling students that health issues may have been caused by mold in their dorms. (Getty Images) (Getty). At the same time, he was aware of how sensitive university officials were about mold. At the College of Charleston, the school deployed more than 250 dehumidifiers across campus in 2018, an internal email showed. So, although you may not be able to completely avoid the problem, you do want to make sure that he ends up at a place where the administration will be accessible and receptive. LAWRENCE, Kan. The University of Kansas is paying a former student-athlete $40,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming she became ill because of mold in the vents of her dormitory room. Photos from the inspections show blackish mold hiding in air vents, fuzzy white fungi crawling on bed frames and under mattresses, and dark blotches spreading on the back of a mirror. Heating and cooling can be another major challenge for universities with buildings that may be decades or even centuries old. Than 250 dehumidifiers across campus in 2018, an internal email showed ceiling of a hallway in Capstone January... 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