West Hall classes relocated for mold abatement process

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West Hall classes relocated for mold abatement process

Ripon,WI

Klaas, Editor-in-Chief

January 25, 2006

http://www.riponcollegedays.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/01/25/43d6b6

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As of Monday 34 classes originally scheduled to meet in West Hall

were temporarily relocated while the college responds to the

discovery of mold in the building.

Mold abatement begins this week, and administrators hope classes

will return to West in about three weeks. However, as of press time

little was known as to how long the mold has existed, its type or

the extent of health concerns.

" The contractor told me that once the area for working is isolated

the building could still be occupied and used, but the college chose

to take a proactive approach and err on the side of caution, " says

Layne Sessions, director of physical plant, of the decision to move

all West Hall classes.

In addition to the classroom space, West also houses 24 offices that

are primarily used for faculty in the anthropology, English, German,

leadership studies, military science and romance and classical

languages departments. According to Vice President for Finance

deRegnier, faculty with offices in the building will be allowed to

remain unless they indicate a preference for alternative temporary

quarters.

The mold was discovered last Monday when plant department personnel

were called to check the stairs in the hall's entryway, where it was

indicated some wood was separating and in need of repair.

" We investigated and that's when we found mold evidences that

appeared to be more than surface mold, " says Sessions.

On the same day a contractor, American Air Environmental of Oshkosh,

toured the entire building and determined in addition to the mold

found in the wood trim work in the main entryway and stairs, mold

was also growing in the basement's boiler room and former ROTC rifle

range.

Although deRegnier and Sessions agree mold, regardless of its type,

can affect those who naturally suffer from allergies and asthma, the

health risks it may have on the average person is unknown until the

type present is ascertained. At press time test results were

expected early this week.

Professor of Anthropology Axelrod, whose office is in the

building, says he plans to move out of West as soon as possible.

Although he's suffered from allergies and asthma for several years,

he says his allergies have worsened in the last year or so,

particularly when he's in West.

More recently, he says he's had asthma and a chronic cough. " It may

or may not be due to the mold, but I'm sure the mold has

contributed, " says Axelrod.

According to deRegnier and Sessions the mold growth was caused by

trapped moisture, provoked by the lack of ventilation in West Hall,

which combined with high humidity in the summer and condensation

from the boilers used for heating caused the mold to breed and grow.

The problem was worsened by the lack of any floor drainage in the

boiler room and the presence of wood flooring.

In addition to halting the present growth, deRegnier and Sessions

also cite plans for preventing any future mold problems.

DeRegnier says other older buildings like and East Hall will

also be checked for mold. However, she says plant department

personnel don't expect to find any mold problems in these buildings,

as the situation in West Hall started with lack of basement

ventilation, a problem that doesn't exist in the other two buildings.

Abatement in the main entry of West Hall is expected to take about

three weeks, say deRegnier and Sessions. This will be followed by

several weeks of remediation in the basement level.

" For the most part no one really accesses the basement level, so

while they're working down there the building can still be used, "

says Sessions.

West Hall classes relocated for mold abatement process

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