Yet documents provided by universities, along with interviews with dozens of students, show the problem is anything but minimal. Built in 2002, McAlister soon developed chronic moisture problems. Plaintiffs are seeking to recover damages, but a dollar amount has not yet been determined, said Richard Shevitz, an attorney representing the students. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. And by the way, all of this was going on during the first round of midterms of my freshman year., Fed up, he sought a meeting with Andrew Hsu, the colleges president, who listened intently. When they were done, a staffer handed Milliken a commemorative coin and had him pose for a photo with Hsu. Clemson/Provided, A student on the campus of The University of South Carolina away from Capstone House on Oct. 18, 2022. One person might not feel a thing, but the person's roommate might end up wheezing and coughing. John A. Carlos II / Special to The Post and Courier, Amya Carr, 21, died on April 18, 2022, of an apparent asthma attack at her dorm at South Carolina State University. Ms. Henderson said she developed a heat rash and could not walk without pain. Then, the freshman contracted the same strain of Adenovirus that recently killed 11 children in New Jersey. 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. 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. Does Mold Remediation Really Work; Health Department Mold Inspection in South . More prevalent than you might think. Above all, you should gauge how forthcoming, sympathetic, and cooperative the college personnel you contacted appeared to be. Mold in college dorms does seem to be a growing problem (no pun intended). Circuit Court Judge Holly Harvey's Monday ruling comes as Indiana University's residence centers Foster and McNutt are being renovated, where mold was a problem during the 2018-19 school year. Inspectors found mold on bed frames, in air vents and even behind mirrors. ? And then you get infected with other things.. So far, the project has progressed exceptionally well, said Tom Morrison, IUs vice president for capital planning and facilities. 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. Muscle pain, cramps, fasciculations. For a time, he worked closely with USC housing department staff on mold problems. tbartelme@postandcourier.com, By Tony Bartelme and Zharia Jeffries But they also said many mold cases were the product of students own slovenly habits. Gabby Alphonse, Dec. 28, 2022 | A doctor told her mold likely triggered a severe reaction. Early spring campus scene at Indiana University in Bloomington Indiana. But we also know the outdoor environment in Charleston is pretty high in mold counts that are just natural to the area., Echoing other officials, Morris said most mold-related outbreaks could be traced to the students themselves. All told, USC had at least 840 mold-relatedreports during the past two years, a review of more than 1,400 work orders shows. (Steve Burns/WFIU). Summary Some students in South Hall have noticed they have been continually sick without explanation. To find a. Symptoms of mold exposure often mimic those from other illnesses, creating medical mysteries. While plenty of students defect for off-campus apartments, the units that students on a budget can afford may not be any better maintained than the dorms. Blaschke said she bleached the bathtub and the shower over and over. You might be surprised, too. 4. In 2018, the seven plaintiffs sued the university claiming it didnt do enough to remove mold found in the Foster and McNutt dorms. Its not the right approach to hide a mold problem.". Frustration over mold led to expensive lawsuits, here and across the nation. While Marylands situation has raised some hype, its not the first college to deal with mold problems. Whats more, pinning blame on students shifts attention away from causes beyond their control, such as the mold crawling inside walls at College of Charlestons McAlister Hall. Name Sally and her husband, Chris Petrides, became first-time parents in 1997 at the ripe-old age of 45. Provided. She transferred to Wichita State the next year. She landed in USCs Thornhill dorm, a residence hall that has had just a few mold complaints. Ask also about the best choice of living situation for your son, revealing as much of his health history as is comfortable. Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. Submit your information for listing consideration in our Agencies & Experts resource database. 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. Mold toxicity makes learning and retaining new information hard, which of course is incredibly important in a college setting. University of South Carolina had to relocate some of the students in one of the womens dorms after they developed respiratory problems related to mold. | Terms of Use| Privacy Policy. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Michael McRobbie, IU President, announced the proposal in 2018. When you get exposed to mold, it weakens your immune system. Visit as many of your sons prospective campuses as you can over the next few weeks as he makes his final choice. Students will then understand their responsibility to report mold situations as well as abnormal amounts of moisture in the room. Kendall Guthrie was one of them. 3. Photo provided by Kendall Guthrie. Elected leaders and school officials have kicked the maintenance can down the road for decades. Built just two decades ago, the dorm has long had chronic moisture problems and numerous complaints about mold. 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. 5. 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. Is there a way to search mold information for each college? Does Mold Have To Be Professionally Removed? 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. Then, one day she felt her throat closing up. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Theres definitely a relationship there., She and other university officials also acknowledged that their computer systems dont readily track mold complaints. Interest from students and housing officials and even state government. Students said they found mold on their desks, mattresses, couches and even their hats. The suit was filed this week by five current and . increase ventilation. Dorm students have been reporting mold problems at the University of Maryland since early September, reports the Baltimore Sun. It spread to the ceiling tiles in the hallway outside of her door. ncary@postandcourier.com Its a converted motel with a retro feel and a dramatic exterior mural by Shepard Fairey. Ask for documentation from your sons physician in case you need to provide written proof of his mold-related illnesses. They need to get out as soon as they can. Taking these steps may prevent mold in dorms. This way staff can take care of problems before they become as big a situation as Marylands. 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. I understand many dorms are loaded with mold (one college had to house students on a cruise ship while they were cleaning out the mold in the dorms). The school told The (Greenwood) Index-Journal, an Uncovered partner, that the mold has since been cleaned up. If your son has a documented disabilityin this case a mold allergythat makes it impossible for him to live on campus, then its likely that ANY college, regardless of the housing rules, will accommodate him, although you may have to jump through multiple hoops to make this happen.). The presence oftoxic moldoften suggests an underlying construction defect or some other problem caused by a third party, and often leads to litigation. 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). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. When arriving at a dollar value for total damages, plaintiff's attorneys typically review verdicts and settlements reached in similar toxic mold cases. The result is the most comprehensive look to date at mold in college dorms across South Carolina and how incidents here mirror problems nationwide. She has since transferred to a school in Texas, her home state, and said she was optimistic about the future. The most commontheories of liability for toxic mold injuriesinclude negligence, breach of warranty, and failure to disclose. 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. The first was in the 1960s and 1970s, when Baby Boomers enrolled in record numbers. address. But some molds can cause serious health problems once they get a foothold into your home or workplace, particularly "black mold." 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. School officials here downplayed students' concerns. So if the plaintiff has a fairly strong case and proof of toxic mold infestation, but with a sliver of doubt as to the causation of the illnesses, the base settlement amount (calculated as if there were a 100 percent chance of succeeding at trial) may be discounted by 30 percent or so. And aging buildings are especially prone to mold outbreaks. At my current college, our dorms have shared bathrooms between two rooms (suite-style). So its definitely out there, although there seems to be some debate over how much harm it typically causes. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. Decreased stress tolerance. The college discovered mold in the HVAC system, ceilings, caulking, and bathrooms. A trio of university housing officials said in a statement that a contributing factor was a resident who bought a do-it-yourself mold test and posted its petri dish of growth on social media. After the meeting, staffers had him pose for a photo. Here are just a few recent incidents in which significant amounts of mold were found in dorms. This morning, when I searched the College Confidential discussion forum for College dorms + mold, I was shocked to find nearly ten pages of results, many of them citing specific schools where mold had led to everything from coughing epidemics to evacuations. Please enter a valid email 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. Inspectors hired by Lander University found mold under bedding in Chipley Hall. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Hang up wet towels or clothing to dry. Cladosporium is a common brown and black mold strain found inside and outside the home. Milliken and his roommate moved back to his parents house on James Island. By November, she had withdrawn from the university and tested positive for mold poisoning. If it's a rental, the landlord may be held liable if it's determined they knew or should have known about the problem. She died there, her lungs full of fluid, a campus police report said. Bathrooms may not have adequate ventilation or exhaust fans, especially in older dorms. It tries to colonize your body, and your body fights it off. The (Clemson) Tiger, led by David Ferrera, also contributed, as well as reporters from two Uncovered partners:Lindsey Hodges of The (Greenwood) Index-Journal and Bruce Mills of The Sumter Item. This inefficient system makes it more difficult for the state's largest higher education institution to pinpoint mold-prone dorms. There was mold all over my pillows, mold all over my wall, mold all over my bed, Guthrie told The Daily Gamecock for this report. Make sure the rooms are ventilating properly (bathroom vents, etc.). We never thought to do that.. Stay up-to-date on the biggest health and wellness news with our weekly recap. This includes the volume of mold spores present, mold species, mycotoxins . These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Other blackish strains include aspergillus and stachybotrys. Ceilings are collapsing. During the past two years and before the renovation began, students reported more than 100 mold problems. So perhaps your son has one or more of these schools on his roster. Sometimes their posters slipped onto the floor. Over the past year our bathroom has gotten so moldy that it looks like a hazard to our health. At first, Guthrie tried to clean the mold herself with spray she bought from a store not realizing that the spores could spread. Good luck to you and your son as you start your investigation and make the big decision just ahead. This article focuses on mold lawsuit settlements, including some examples. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, College students may not do an adequate job of wiping up water spills, keeping bathrooms clean, etc. He was a member of a legislative panel that in 2019 recommended a statewide education campaign about mold. Bedding in Chipley Hall spores could spread their desks, mattresses, couches and even state government seem... 18, 2022 that recently killed 11 children in New Jersey of its features students & x27. Proposal in 2018 she has since transferred to a school in Texas, lungs... In a college setting landed in USCs Thornhill dorm, a review of than. 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