UConn Mold Battle Tallies Nearly $225,000

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Courant.com

UConn Mold Battle Tallies Nearly $225,000

By MATT BURGARD

Courant Staff Writer

June 13, 2008

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Over the last four years, the University of Connecticut has spent nearly

$225,000 to eliminate mold from the president's house, but the problem remains

persistent enough to have caused a severe allergic reaction for the wife of new

president Hogan, a university spokesman said Thursday.

Virginia Hogan's reaction to the mold in the Oak Hill Road residence was so

severe when she and her husband moved here last year that the university

quickly took steps to move the couple to a house on nearby Gurleyville Road.

The

university has spent close to $200,000 on leasing fees, housekeeping fees and

renovations to the Hogans' new house.

UConn spokesman Veilleux said the mold problem at the former

president's house on Oak Hill Road was addressed during a massive renovation to

the

house in 2004-05 that cost more than $1 million. Of that money, roughly

$192,000 was spent on eliminating mold and associated costs, such as demolition

of

mold-infected building frames, Veilleux said.

Last year, after the Hogans arrived, the university spent an additional

$31,371 to eliminate mold growths that had appeared since the last overhaul,

Veilleux said. He said the mold in the house has mostly been removed, but

cautioned that it could reappear.

" In all likelihood, it will return, " he said.

The university plans to use the Oak Hill Road building as classroom space

and room for other functions for faculty and students. The University of

Connecticut Foundation, a nonprofit agency that provides financial support for

the

university, is now trying to raise enough money to purchase the Gurleyville

Road house and make it the permanent president's residence.

The faculty union at the university recently decided to donate $100,000 to

the foundation to help with improvements and maintenance costs at the Oak Hill

Road building. The UConn chapter of the American Association of University

Professors donated the money with the hope that the former president's home

will be available for faculty to use for department retreats, interviews with

faculty candidates, small dinners and other events.

Contact Matt Burgard at _mburgard@..._ (mailto:mburgard@...) .

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