COLUMBUS — Students living in one residence hall at Ohio State University will be moved to another residence at the start of the spring semester due to potential air quality issues.
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Students living in Lawrence Tower were informed of the change this week. Our news partners at WBNS in Columbus reported that the hall has been at the center of a mold controversy over the last few weeks.
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A water leak was first reported in Lawrence Tower on Oct. 28 and affected 19 rooms. The problem led to mold growth and prompted the university to relocate 41 students so far. As WBNS reported, the problem appears to have become more widespread and students on other floors have reported symptoms and visible mold.
Students speculate that poor air circulation, which could be due to windows that don’t open, might be contributing to the problem.
Some parents of students living in the residence hall went as far as to hire a mold inspector to investigate the building. His assessment and lab results confirmed the presence of black mold in the building.
“That building has seen decades of water leaks, water abuse, sometimes behind the walls. The mold was not properly addressed,” Zach Duffey, the mold inspector, said.
On Friday, the university announced they will moving students to alternative accommodations by the beginning of the spring semester.
“Each student will have the option to move to a new on-campus or master-leased near-campus location, or to elect to cancel their housing contract to move home, live with a relative or identify an alternative housing option,” an Ohio State spokesperson said in a statement to WBNS. “We will promptly work directly with any residents of rooms that indicate the need for more immediate relocation or further analysis. We are taking care to analyze each room individually and consult with our third-party consultant and Columbus Public Health, and students who do not wish to relocate until the end of the semester may remain in their current rooms when possible.”
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