And you think your semester has been rough.
The discovery of toxic mold growing in two residence halls at North Carolina Central University in August prompted the relocation of some 500 students to apartments and hotels near the NCCU campus in Durham.
"The health and well-being of the students is our primary concern," NCCU Director of Residential Life Jennifer Wilder said. "The administration is aggressively trying to fix these problems."
There are now approximately 900 NCCU students living off campus due to unsafe dorm conditions and increasing enrollment.
Non-toxic mold had also been found in 11 non-residential NCCU buildings prior to the discovery of the toxic mold in the two newest residential halls, built just four years ago.
The total estimated costs for eradicating the mold and renovating the affected buildings was estimated to be $58 million, according to a report by Clark Nexsen Architecture & Engineering. However, the University of North Carolina system's board of governors approved a budget of only $10.4 million for repairing the residence halls.
"They won't be able to complete all the repairs, but that should help them move forward," said Jeff Davies, the UNC system's vice president for finance.
Wilder expects the renovation of the dormitories to be completed by August 2006.
The mold was blamed on leaks in pipes, which led to an excess of steam, as well as improperly sealed windows and doors. The steam allowed moisture to build up inside the buildings. The mold was growing under the wallpaper, near pipes and in damp places in the dorms' bedrooms and laundry rooms. NCCU Chancellor James Ammons has said that the school's pipe system will have to be improved to avoid mold problems in the future.
"When there are moisture problems, there's going to be mold growing," said David Lipton, an industrial hygiene consultant for the North Carolina Division of Public Health. "One thing that's an advantage of older buildings is that they're made of relatively mold-resistant materials such as plaster, masonry and solid wood, as opposed to materials used in newer buildings like sheetrock and paper-based materials."
Mold can cause a number of minor reactions, from coughing, sneezing and eye irritation to asthma attacks. The toxic mold discovered in the NCCU dorms, however, can be carcinogenic, Lipton said. Mold problems are not unique to NCCU. Over the past three years, more than $11.5 million in mold-related repairs have been made on UNC system campuses.
"Mold is a reality," Davies said. "Unfortunately we have had it at all 16 of the UNC campuses, but it hasn't been as bad anywhere as at N.C. Central."
Duke's Vesic Library was closed last year due to mold growing in books, but Duke Residential and Housing Services Director Eddie Hull said that there are currently no mold problems in Duke dormitories to the best of his knowledge.
Controversy stirred earlier this fall when the Durham Hilton--where some of the students are temporarily housed--informed the students that they were prohibited from using the front entrance of the hotel. The Hilton issued a public apology to the 130 relocated students, who also received $200 food vouchers and free laundry. Interstate hotels, which owns the Durham Hilton, also created a scholarship to NCCU for an in-state student as well as establishing five hospitality internship positions for NCCU students.
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