Mold found in sophomore buildings prior to move-in

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Flyer News - Dayton,OH

Jennie Szink

Chief Staff Writer

http://www.flyernews.com/article.php?

section=News & volume=54 & issue=1 & artnum=05

UD had to replace carpet in seven Virginia W. Kettering suites and

one lounge the week before move-in due to mold growth.

The university had previous knowledge of mold in some rooms on the

first floor Honors Wing, but one room of students moving in early

found a patch of white mold for themselves. Sophomore political

science major Vujea and her two roommates arrived Aug. 12 for

tour guide orientation and band camp.

" We had moved in and started to unpack before my parents found the

mold in the living room, " Vujea said.

The university had not noticed mold in her room, but knew it was in

adjacent rooms and the lounge, room 108. Vujea and her parents were

surprised that the university would allow them to move in and risk

exposure to mold in the air.

Dr. Craig Schmitt, executive director of residential services, said

the mold grew after the carpets had been cleaned and prepared for

the students.

" We shut all the rooms and were ready for the students to arrive, "

Schmitt said. " Somehow the fan unit that circulates the air was

switched off so the mold grew on the wet carpets. "

UD called on an outside environmental company to test and replace

the carpets because the amount of growth was more than had ever been

found before. After performing tests, they gave no indication that a

danger of mold in the air could be a threat in VWK.

Another sophomore resident heard the rumor of mold in her room

before she arrived to school Aug. 14. She called VWK's front desk

the night before her move-in to verify that she would be placed in a

different room.

" I was disappointed there was no previous notification for us, " she

said. " The front desk workers didn't know many details. "

The resident said she did appreciate that Lennie Presock, facilities

and operations manager for Stuart and VWK, explained the measures

taken to sanitize her room once she was on campus.

Those who moved into a newly carpeted room Aug. 19 only heard about

the mold through their peers.

" I understand the problem is fixed but I'd like to know what else

had to be replaced, " said Nick Jensen, sophomore electrical and

computer engineer major. " Were there spores in the furniture? Is our

couch new? "

In addition to the mold found in VWK, attendees of a Club #6 dry

party spotted a circle of white mold on a ceiling tile in the

basement of Campus South about nine inches in diameter. Sophomore

s reported it to the front desk Aug. 19, and at press

time the tile had not been replaced.

Students whose rooms were affected by the mold understand the growth

was a surprise to both them and the university. But some wish the

move-in and room rearrangements had been handled differently.

" I am disappointed with Residential Services, " Vujea said. " The room

was not clean when we moved in and my view of them is tainted. But I

still love UD itself. "