Mold in Buddig said to be under control

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Mold in Buddig said to be under control

Problem earlier in the semester prompted letter to Buddig residents

Loyola Maroon

Rosie Dao

Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: News

http://media.www.loyolamaroon.com/media/storage/paper542/news/2007/11

/09/News/Mold-In.Buddig.Said.To.Be.Under.Control-3088790.shtml

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, mold isn't a foreign issue to

New Orleanians. Nevertheless, Buddig Hall residents didn't expect it

sneaking into their rooms two years after the storm.

During the first few weeks of the fall semester, residents in Buddig

Hall noticed mold and mildew spots in their rooms. Jodi Forte, mass

communication freshman and desk assistant in Buddig, noticed spots

on the lobby and elevator doors. " You could smell it from the first

floor, but they replaced the ceiling tiles and dried the carpet two

or three weeks ago, " she said.

Copes, assistant director for residential life, sent an e-

mail Oct. 4 to Buddig residents stating, " We've isolated a few

possible causes for the growth of mold in the rooms we know of

already. " The e-mail continued to list ways to reduce the likelihood

of growth, including never turning the air conditioner off, keeping

the unit at 72 to 78 degrees and not opening windows, because the

mixture of temperatures could create conditions for the mold to

reproduce.

But the mold problem was not as bad as at the beginning of the

school year, Forte said. She said the directors informed the desk

assistants and staff about closing the windows and keeping the air

conditioner on during training sessions several weeks ago.

Nesbitt, psychology freshman, uses her own elbow grease to

keep mold from spreading to her room. She said when her suitemates'

air conditioner broke, water leaked, making the floor smelly and

damp, and she had to keep the connecting bathroom door shut. Nesbitt

also cleaned the shower with bleach twice a week to combat the

rapidly growing mold.

" I sprayed air neutralizers and used heavy duty cleaners (like

Greased Lightning), and the smell and the mold are still there. What

needs to happen is that their A.C. needs to be cleaned out with

bleach, as does the rest of their room, " Nesbitt said.

Nesbitt added that her neighbor down the hall doesn't have a mold

problem at all, so she is unsure whether it's just her room that's

having problems.

Robin Abbott, political science junior and resident assistant on the

eighth and ninth floors, also experienced mold in his room and had

to move. However, he said residential life is " doing everything they

can " to address the issue and resolve the problem.

Ann Moss, assistant director of Physical Plant, said, " The affected

areas were cleaned with the appropriate products to eliminate the

mold, and a few rooms were treated (and) cleaned for the mold and

then painted with a mold-inhibiting product. "

, director of Residential Life said, " The issue has been

resolved and contained. "

Rosie Dao can be reached at rndao@....