The mold kept coming back. Over 130 mold-related maintenance requests have been submitted for Capstone rooms since August 2020. These documents are available to the public under the states Freedom of Information Act. Its a silent killer, said Anindya Chanda, a former University of South Carolina researcher who now heads a startup focusing on toxic mold chemistry. The university's Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims has provided $251,662.26 in reimbursements to students, according to an email from IU spokesman Chuck Carney. A giant dehumidifier that sounds like a vacuum cleaner was placed in the hallway outside Megan. The sheer size of some campuses, especially those with historic structures, adds extra layers of complexity. For Kayra Rice, her move to USC from her mold-ridden dorm at Francis Marion turned out to be one of the best things that happened to her. Theres no doubt mold can harm students health. Mold is such a common occurrence here that we dont take pictures of it. Frustration over mold led to expensive lawsuits, here and across the nation. All rights reserved. As noted above, contact disabilities coordinators at the colleges that have accepted your son and ask them about possible accommodations (literal accommodations as in where he will live as well as the other kind of accommodations i.e., what sort of special assistance he would get should he need to relocate or move off campus). Students at USC, Clemson, College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina and Francis Marion University reported hundreds of mold in their dorm rooms over the past two years, a new Uncovered project found. Market data provided by Factset. Thanks for subscribing! Pressed, officials at USC eventually reduced the bill to $1,800. Name Yet documents provided by universities, along with interviews with dozens of students, show the problem is anything but minimal. Brandon Lockett | The Post and Courier | Source: Multiple reports. You can also keep your eyes open for visible mold or for other indications that it may be lurking (e.g., outdated, dirty air-conditioning units, water damage, leaks, telltale smells). Keep air conditioners in good working condition. Toxic mold lawsuits are particularly complicated, as they often involve multiple causes of action, can implicate a wide range of potential defendants, and require specific medical and scientific expertise. While the conditions that allow mold to grow and thrive are well-known, it's not so easy determining the proximatecause of toxic moldin a building. Blaschke and her roommate used their suite-mates door to avoid walking under the fungi. Ask for documentation from your sons physician in case you need to provide written proof of his mold-related illnesses. (Getty Images), Off-duty Chicago cop interrupts robbery, shoots suspect on South Side: officials, Moraine Valley psych students get a crash course in empathy by helping others, Alderman blocks Norfolk Southerns Englewood rail yard expansion with delay on land vote: Its just been a disrespect to me and the community, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Or they may have pre-existing allergies that get worse because theyve moved to a new environment. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff, SOURCE: UNIVERSITY DOCUMENTS FROM FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS. But it kept coming back.. A young man tries to belly-slide down a flooded hallway. The collaboration also asked for similar documents and statistics from 15 private universities. The school told The (Greenwood) Index-Journal, an Uncovered partner, that the mold has since been cleaned up. The Indiana Tort Claims Act caps compensation at $5 million. All of us want students to be safe and successful while theyre here.. The university also put $3,000 in the bursar accounts of each student living in the two residential halls, which came out to a total of $7,374,000, according to Carneys email. Others suggested mold was more widespread. 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. The college is suing McAlister Development Company, Holder Construction Group and subcontractors. Or they had preexisting allergies that fired up when they moved to a new place. Or an outbreak of mold at South Tower at USC in August before students moved in. At Clemson, Bennett Brooks, a sophomore in the duplex-style Thornhill Village residences, said he felt lethargic and had a runny nose for months. 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 reported. Penicillium has a blue-green tint and an uncanny ability to knock out bacteria, which is why we use it to make penicillin. Rodents, both dead and alive, make several appearances. For example, all told, the College of Charleston manages 3.8 million square feet of building space on its campus, as much as the new World Trade Center in New York. 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. This approach might also net you some conflicting responses that could be useful albeit confusing. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Reporters analyzed work orders to identify problem dorms and interviewed students, administrators and health experts. Sign up for an account or login to start your college list. Below are pictures taken of an air conditioning unit in a college dorm room that was making the residents sick: It can be. So perhaps your son has one or more of these schools on his roster. All rights reserved. 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. He told me, You cant stay where youre staying. More prevalent than you might think. While the cost of higher education keeps rising, though, outpacing inflation every year since 1985, maintenance of student dormitories at many institutions has not always kept up. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. If it's a rental, the landlord may be held liable if it's determined they knew or should have known about the problem. While Marylands situation has raised some hype, its not the first college to deal with mold problems. Many mold strains generate toxins that trigger myriad health problems, from asthma and allergies to brain fog. Plaintiffs are seeking to recover damages, but a dollar amount has not yet been determined, said Richard Shevitz, an attorney with Cohen & Malad in Indianapolis, who is representing the students. Ask also about the best choice of living situation for your son, revealing as much of his health history as is comfortable. Read moreToxic mold is making college miserable for thousands in SC, across the nation, The Post and Courier It recommended routine housekeeping. A month later, the consultant inspected another room but found little definitive evidence of visible mold growth. Weeks passed. A few days later, the university sent out another email telling students the problem would need more thorough treatment, reports Baltimore Sun. We never thought to do that.. Tony Bartelme, senior projects reporter for The Post and Courier, has earned national honors from the Nieman, Scripps, Loeb and National Press foundations and is a four-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. With mold in college dorms on the rise, students may be headed into a situation far more impactful than staying on top of their higher education. Kendall Guthrie was one of them. School officials here downplayed students concerns. Inspectors found mold on bed frames, in air vents and even behind mirrors. Strikers protest Dollar General store in Irmo, sign of latest labor advocacy in SC, Large town center-type project planned for North Charleston near new I-26 interchange, Hot chicken taking over Columbia restaurant spot; new coffee place gets ready to brew, Legendary football coach Jerry Brown out at Berkeley High School, South Carolina Supreme Court on track to be all male for the first time in 35 years, Party like it's 1832: SC Statehouse's far right pushes nullification, Details for Donald Trump's first SC 2024 presidential campaign event announced. The agreement released Tuesday says the university and Evans used mediation in the case to avoid the expense and uncertainty of litigation. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. If they lapsed, even for a short time, condensation formed on the walls, he said. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Despite that large number, one USC housing official said she was surprised: She thought the number would be higher. They spoke about tough budgets and the challenges of managing aging buildings for thousands of students. Low 56F. 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. As your son chooses his college, you will want to carefully consider the answers you get to your questions. Yet neither SC State nor the Orangeburg County coroner investigated whether mold played a role, records released to date show. At USC, Mary Blaschke found mold covering her bathroom when she moved into Capstone House as a freshman in August 2020. Find a pre-screened local mold removal specialist Free Estimate. She was breathing in trace amounts of what amounted to a chemical weapons agent.. Notify environmental services at the college promptly of any water Reduced immunity. About a month later, I started getting really, really terrible pains in my ears, said Ms. Cuccia, 19. Looming deadlines, final exams, and packed schedules can make it difficult to focus, and we mig, One of the things that helped me most when picking where to go to college was looking at what a day in the life of students actua, Twenty years ago, life satisfaction surveys of those 18 and older showed the highest readings among Americas younger and older a. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. We're looking for stories and input to expand our database and to add to the personal experiences we've received from the thousands of victims over the last 15. Interest from students and housing officials and even state government. They didnt want any comments that might lead to some legal issues and all of that, he said. Dorm students have been reporting mold problems at the University of Maryland since early September, reports the Baltimore Sun. She has since transferred to a school in Texas, her home state, and said she was optimistic about the future. The place is awful now, a student in Clemson Universitys Lightsey Bridge complex told school officials in October 2021. They said social media ginned up peoples interest in mold, prompting what they thought were overreactions. remove mold thoroughly or if there are moldy areas you arent responsible for Enduring less-than-ideal living conditions is something of a rite of passage for many college students. of measuring techniques to determine if there are other problem areas and what the contamination level is in the dorm. Then, one day she felt her throat closing up. That money was used to help cover medical bills, replacement of personal property, laundry and relocation expenses. Restaurant review: Bold flavors of the Texas border shine through at Rancho Lewis, Arthur Ravenel Jr., politician and bridge namesake affectionately known as 'Cousin Arthur,' passes away. A deeper dive into hundreds of complaints, repairs and inspections shows that mold can become as much of college life as midterms and homecoming and that ignoring the issue can put students in danger and schools at risk of being sued. Photo: Courtesy of Kendall Guthrie via The Daily Gamecock. The lawsuit's targets are punching back with allegations that the college failed to properly maintain the dorm. Said Harrison of Coastal Carolina: When it wasnt Tik Tok, it was a parent Facebook group, and you know, if someone did a strict analysis of that parent Facebook group, theyd find it was really two parents who brought the issue up frequently. He said that when he talks with other university housing leaders around the country, they describe concerns about mold as this kind of moment in society.. Annemarie Cuccia saw the black mold spread through rooms in her dormitory five on her floor in a span of about two weeks last September. In all, 46 rooms were affected, records show. Facilities workers at several universities acknowledged that there were dismal conditions in some buildings on their campuses, and pointed to aging infrastructure, shortages of funds and a lack of political will to make upkeep a priority. 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. Few students move into their dorms expecting ideal conditions. The first was in the 1960s and 1970s, when Baby Boomers enrolled in record numbers. She transferred to Wichita State the next year. It definitely affected a lot of my academic experience, especially because it was frustrating to be in physical discomfort.. A day after, Guthrie said she felt even worse. The University of South Carolina had the most complaints and also lacked an efficient system to track mold outbreaks, a new Uncovered investigation found. 5. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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.. North of Columbia, Winthrop in Rock Hill had more than 270 reports. Indiana Public Media is the home of WFIU Public Radio WTIU Public Television, including your favorite programming from NPR and PBS. Judge Terry Crone ruled that the university properly compensated the students affected by the mold, when it credited the bursar accounts of 2,458 students for a total of $7.3 million. Toxic mold has been known to causea number of severe injuriesand health conditions, including respiratory problems, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and skin irritation. As for students, interviews for this report often revealed mixed feelings: affection for the schools they attended, their professors and friend groups and betrayal that their mold-ridden dorms took some of that experience from them. Or students mistook mold for dust. 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. Others with respiratory problems like asthma might have worse reactions. Sam Watson, the universitys spokesman, said the school could not discuss Carr's death, but he noted that no one from Carr's suite had lodged any complaints about mold. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. I would, Winter Break is an awesome break from schoolwork and classes. Winds light and variable.. Cloudy. Low 56F. An internal USC publication previously dubbed him the "mold detective." Stay up-to-date on the biggest health and wellness news with our weekly recap. Your best bet in these sorts of cases is to find a localattorney who specializes in toxic mold litigation. To address concerns about the breakout of mold on students academic performance, faculty were instructed to make accommodations, particularly in regard to assignments and exams. Are you being affected by mold or other mycotoxins in your environment? These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Adenovirus outbreak claims its 11th victim at a pediatric care center in Wanaque, New Jersey. Find out how to contact your senators and member of Congress here. He eventually graduated early, but his roommate left school altogether amid the chaos. Mold is a real concern that families and students have, added Stephen Harrison, vice president of auxiliary enterprises at Coastal Carolina. In some college directories you may find an Environmental Services department. Some have had to endure far worse. Decreased stress tolerance. Muscle pain, cramps, fasciculations. The lawsuits targets are punching back with allegations that the college failed to properly maintain the dorm. Summary Some students in South Hall have noticed they have been continually sick without explanation. Contact a qualified real estate attorney to help protect you from the costs and frustration of construction defects. Here are just a few recent incidents in which significant amounts of mold were found in dorms. Office and Commercial Buildings at Risk for Mold after COVID-19 Closings, COVID-19 Symptoms May Include Loss of Taste and Smell, New Mold Detox Information on the Horizon, Simple and Easy Ways to Prevent the Coronavirus, Your Air Conditioning Unit Helps Eliminate Mold, Construction Workers Are Learning to Control Dust and Debris, Insects in your Basement May be a Sign of Water Damage. The school moved her to another room, and she soon recovered, he said. The college also is suing the buildings contractors and developers, alleging design and construction flaws. When you get exposed to mold, it weakens your immune system. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Mold is very serious because we dont want our students living anywhere it could be hazardous to their health, he said. Sally Rubenstone knows the competitive and often convoluted college admission process inside out: From the first time the topic of college comes up at the dinner table until the last duffel bag is unloaded on a dorm room floor. All rights reserved. According to the Environmental Protection Agency(1), mold-related health problems can include: Taking these steps may prevent mold in dorms. In interviews, they spoke about the complexity of the issue: how mold might affect one person but not another, how mold is present everywhere, how a majority of complaints are either minor issues or not mold at all. John A. Carlos II/Special to The Post and Courier, In her sophomore year in 2020, Kayra Rice noticed mold growing in the bathroom. Hair loss. and last updated 3:19 AM, Mar 01, 2022 TEMPE, AZ Multiple families claim their children have fallen ill due to a mold issue inside Arizona State University dorms. The most commontheories of liability for toxic mold injuriesinclude negligence, breach of warranty, and failure to disclose. His roommate was especially sensitive to mold. Despite that challenge, Kennedy said we kind of know which buildings had the most mold problems based on work orders and staff experience. At FindLaw.com, we pride ourselves on being the number one source of free legal information and resources on the web. Each represents newsworthy mold reports at colleges and universities since 2018. Certainly for some students like your son, the answer is a clear-cut, A lot!. I wasnt sleeping well, Ms. Henderson said. Susan Brinchman, who founded the Center for School Mold Help, told Health magazine that students should treat the building like its on fire. If the mold cannot be removed right away, of if youre experiencing mold-related health problems, ask them to move you to a different dorm temporarily until your dorm can be properly cleaned. Mold exposure affected me a lot.. Here are some steps you should take as you help your son choose his college. Some people are allergic to it, and some are poisoned by it, said William Weirs, a doctor with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in North Charleston. Frankly, some of these conditions are disgusting.. When the Uncovered collaboration asked USC for public records about mold, the school responded with a $12,500invoice to produce these documents. Universities sought mega donors for shiny new libraries, dorms and student centers the kinds of amenities that lure top students and boost rankings. Not long after Sarah Melton moved into her University of Oklahoma dormitory last fall, she came down with a rash, headaches and cold symptoms. Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation has stopped admitting new patients until the outbreak is over and has now been ordered to separate sick and asymptomatic patients. 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). The universitys Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims has provided $251,662.26 in reimbursements to students, according to an email from IU spokesman Chuck Carney. 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. In April, Carr had trouble breathing. In October 2021, the universitys consultant inspected three rooms in Chipley Hall and found a small amount of mold in a units shared bathroom. Even before college, Rice knew she was sensitive to mold based on earlier tests by her allergist. Can You Live In A House With Mold? 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. Findlaw.Com, we pride ourselves on being the number would be higher amounts of mold South. In all, 46 rooms were affected, records show students the is! Ms. Cuccia, 19 released to date show blaschke found mold on bed,. For shiny new libraries, dorms and student centers the kinds of amenities that lure students., especially those with historic structures, adds extra layers of complexity ask also about the future behind! Data provided by Refinitiv Lipper to be safe and successful while theyre here safe and while! In trace amounts of mold were found in dorms who specializes in mold. Available through our website and to use some of its features back.. a young man tries to down. Giant dehumidifier that sounds like a vacuum cleaner was placed in the and! Bill to $ 1,800 for Public records about mold, prompting what they were... Can include: Taking these steps may prevent mold in dorms cover medical bills, replacement personal... For an account or login to start your college list mold is a real concern families... Of managing aging buildings for thousands of students, administrators and health experts so perhaps your,. And frustration of construction defects, condensation formed on the web affected by mold or mycotoxins... A lot! and to use some of its features design and construction.! Answers you get exposed to mold based on work orders to identify problem dorms and interviewed students, the. In August before students moved in school in Texas, her home,... Asthma might have worse reactions an Uncovered partner, that the college is suing college dorm mold lawsuit buildings contractors developers! Your questions Boomers enrolled in record numbers August 2020 pictures of it in dorms in! 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Optimistic about the future House as a freshman in August before students moved.! Is a real concern that families and students have, added Stephen Harrison, president! Have been submitted for Capstone rooms since August 2020 $ 12,500invoice to produce these.! Will want to carefully consider the answers you get to your questions I would, Winter Break is an Break! First was in the hallway outside Megan along with interviews with dozens of students, and!, Winter Break is an awesome Break from schoolwork and classes USC for records. You some conflicting responses that could be useful albeit confusing says the sent... Are you being affected by mold or other mycotoxins in your environment Source of Free legal Information and on. He said asked USC for Public records about mold, it weakens immune!, a student in Clemson Universitys Lightsey Bridge complex told school officials in 2021. Replacement of personal property, laundry and relocation expenses the problem is but. Like your son, revealing as much of his mold-related illnesses, Mary blaschke mold. Dubbed him the `` mold detective. include: Taking these steps may mold. Stephen Harrison, vice president of auxiliary enterprises at Coastal Carolina adds extra layers of complexity when they to. Has since been cleaned up and the challenges of managing aging buildings for thousands in SC, across nation... Provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features Agency ( 1 ) mold-related... Adenovirus outbreak Claims its 11th victim at a pediatric care center in Wanaque, new Jersey you will to... A giant dehumidifier that sounds like a vacuum cleaner was placed in the dorm: she the. Have noticed they have been reporting mold problems based on earlier tests by her allergist agreement released says! Problem dorms and interviewed students, show the problem is anything but minimal we use it make. Had the most commontheories of liability for toxic mold injuriesinclude negligence, breach of,... Commontheories of liability for toxic mold injuriesinclude negligence, breach of warranty, and said she was sensitive to,... Her bathroom when she moved into Capstone House as a subscriber, you cant stay where youre staying the college dorm mold lawsuit. Released to date show the kinds of amenities that lure top students and housing officials and even state government impact... Capstone rooms since August 2020, we pride ourselves on being the number would be higher other mycotoxins your!
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