2008 Woodie Awards
Gilbert Annex: a moldy situation
by Caitlin Birch
Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: News
"The showers were completely disgusting-looking," junior Dan Urda said, "and my roommate was getting sick a lot, so he bought a mold test and put it in the room and it tested positive."
A potentially hazardous growth of mold caused by domestic waterline leaks forced the relocation of seven students from the Gilbert Annex residence hall last week, director of Housing Assignment Services Linda Carey said.
Urda said he and his roommate first noticed something was wrong in November when his roommate's health began to suffer. They reported the problem, resulting in an investigation by the Department of Occupational Health and Safety.
Joseph Miller, assistant director of Occupational Health and Safety, said the department discovered extensive mold damage in the building after responding to the students' concerns. For safety reasons, a decision was made to evacuate the lower level of the building.
"The big thing is exasperating conditions," Miller said. "People who have asthma are going to be a lot more affected by it. It's a conservative approach."
Since the ground and first floors of the building operate using separate heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, he said it was not necessary to evacuate students from the first floor.
Carey said Housing Assignment Services was informed of the necessity of evacuation late in the day on Jan. 26 and notified the building's residents by e-mail, mail and phone on Jan. 29. As some students were not participating in Winter Session, the building only housed seven students at the time.
At the beginning of the Spring Semester, all five of the building's lower level residents relocated, she said. Residents on the first floor, which was not affected by the mold, were also given the option of relocation. Two first floor residents opted to move, bringing the total number of relocated students to seven.
Housing Assignment Services provided boxes and the services of university movers to residents to ease the moving process, Carey said. Residents of the building were generally satisfied with the university's handling of the situation.
A potentially hazardous growth of mold caused by domestic waterline leaks forced the relocation of seven students from the Gilbert Annex residence hall last week, director of Housing Assignment Services Linda Carey said.
Urda said he and his roommate first noticed something was wrong in November when his roommate's health began to suffer. They reported the problem, resulting in an investigation by the Department of Occupational Health and Safety.
Joseph Miller, assistant director of Occupational Health and Safety, said the department discovered extensive mold damage in the building after responding to the students' concerns. For safety reasons, a decision was made to evacuate the lower level of the building.
"The big thing is exasperating conditions," Miller said. "People who have asthma are going to be a lot more affected by it. It's a conservative approach."
Since the ground and first floors of the building operate using separate heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, he said it was not necessary to evacuate students from the first floor.
Carey said Housing Assignment Services was informed of the necessity of evacuation late in the day on Jan. 26 and notified the building's residents by e-mail, mail and phone on Jan. 29. As some students were not participating in Winter Session, the building only housed seven students at the time.
At the beginning of the Spring Semester, all five of the building's lower level residents relocated, she said. Residents on the first floor, which was not affected by the mold, were also given the option of relocation. Two first floor residents opted to move, bringing the total number of relocated students to seven.
Housing Assignment Services provided boxes and the services of university movers to residents to ease the moving process, Carey said. Residents of the building were generally satisfied with the university's handling of the situation.
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mrowlinson.spam
Mike
posted 2/17/07 @ 8:23 PM EST
I transfered here two years ago and was assigned to the Annex. Within the first week I got extremely sick which was strange for me because I _never_ get sick. (Continued…)
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