Over the past two weeks, there have been multiple vehicles spotted on campus belonging to mold removal services. Simultaneously, news has been spreading that certain dorms—specifically Conway Hall—have been infected with mold, raising alarm among the student body. The Dickinsonian reached out to both the Campus Life department and a student whose living space was impacted by this mold problem to learn more about this issue. 

According to Campus Life, their office has been in communication with residents who have been impacted by mold infestations. An email sent to residents on Thursday, Nov. 2, said, “We are aware of some isolated cases of mold in rooms within Conway Hall…Please be assured that we are working as quickly and efficiently as possible in the hope of minimizing disruption to those of you living in Conway.” 

Following this email on Friday, Nov. 3, inspectors were brought in to assess the situation in Conway. Residents of this building were contacted and told to temporarily relocate immediately around 5:30 that night to various locations on campus. Eighteen students, nearly half of the 40 students living in Conway have been relocated. 

One student’s entire closet ceiling was covered in mold after fall pause. They stated that there was no mold when they moved in, only some discoloration on the ceiling. This student was moved to temporary housing the same day the mold was reported and was told that they would be living in temporary housing for approximately a week. However, Campus Life has repeatedly pushed back the date at which this student can return to their room. The student and their roommate were also not given key card access to their temporary housing location until the day after they were told to move there. Additionally, there were numerous problems with their temporary housing space, such as windows that were unable to open and no ventilation coming through the vents. Campus Life did not respond to The Dickinsonian with a comment about the status of the mold problem on campus or to questions about how they are responding to this issue. 

Another student living in the affected dorm recalls her mom noting that the room smelled of mold on move-in day. Her room was not clean either—the floor was dirty, surfaces were dusty and a mysterious bottle was left on top of the closet. This student was not relocated, but informed on Saturday, Nov. 4, that her room had a mild case of mold and that a cleaning crew will be stopping in the next day at 9:00 a.m. to handle the issue. This student reported that the cleaning person was shocked to find mold on her bed posts and in the lights. Other residents are still waiting for updates on cleaning and additional information. 

Mold can cause numerous health issues ranging in severity. According to the CDC, mold exposure can result in cold-like symptoms such as a sore throat and a runny nose. However, mold can be especially dangerous for people with asthma, who can have severe reactions. Immunocompromised individuals can get lung infections from the exposure.

While Conway residents were notified of mold on Nov. 3, as of Monday, Nov. 6, there has been no statement released to the wider campus community.

Works Cited: 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, November 5). General information about Mold. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mold/basics.htm#:~:text=For%20some%20people%2C%20mold%20can,in%20their%20lungs%20from%20mold.