Mold sends students at UTSA to local hotels

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Mold sends students at UTSA to local hotels

By Elaine Aradillas

San Express-News

Web Posted : 08/25/2002 12:00 AM

Lugging boxes of clothes, toiletries and mini-refrigerators, UTSA students

started settling into temporary new digs at several area hotels Saturday

after administrators told them mold was shutting down their dorm.

University of Texas at San freshmen Marshall (left) and Jeff

Reinsfelder talk outside a room at the Comfort Inn near UTSA. Students were

not allowed to move into a UTSA dorm on Saturday.

Willaim Luther/Express-News

The mold was discovered about three weeks ago when inspectors noticed a wall

collapsing inside one of the rooms at Chisholm Hall, the same residence hall

that evacuated about 450 students in May 2001 because of the presence of

stachybotrys, a greenish-black slimy mold that can cause respiratory

problems.

Stachybotrys thrives on water and construction materials. Along with minor

symptoms attributed to most molds, such as runny noses, sneezing and

allergy-like symptoms, stachybotrys also is believed to produce toxins that

can cause memory or mood changes, or flulike reactions such as fatigue, sore

throats and headaches.

But officials don't believe last year's black mold trouble and this year's

are related.

" Based on what I know, I don't believe there's a connection between the

two, " said Jim Short, president of Century Campus Housing Management Inc.,

the Houston-based company that manages the building.

Last year, it took nearly three months to clear out the infestation.

Students had to leave two days before final exams were to begin, and the

hall wasn't open again until the following August.

This year, the students scheduled to live on the dorm's first floor were

notified by mail about the problem. The rest of the students received phone

calls Friday when officials realized their rooms weren't going to be ready

by check-in time Saturday either.

Sheet rock was replaced and walls painted in 140 rooms, but the

air-conditioning ducts in all 262 rooms had to be cleaned, causing the

delay, officials said.

" It started with the rain in July. Water penetrated the walls around the

windows, " Short said. " No one will be allowed back until our industrial

hygienist gives us the thumbs up. "

Classes begin Monday, and many students agreed it's fun living in a hotel,

but said it could be an inconvenience.

is Amaya, an 18-year-old freshman from Friendswood near Houston, came

with her parents, who rescheduled their workweek so they could help her

move. Instead of unloading at Chisholm Hall, she was issued a room at

Comfort Inn on Loop 1604 near UTSA.

" I wanted to move in. I wanted to get it all in one trip. Get settled, "

Amaya said.

She left her computer at home. Her parents will bring it on the next trip,

when Amaya moves for the second time.

" When you're here, it's like you're on vacation, " said Celeste Amaya,

is' mother. " I'm concerned they won't be in the school mode right away. "

Brett Didier, also 18, Amaya's friend also from Friendswood, said he's not

concerned about the mold, but is concerned that the situation could shed a

negative light on a school that is working hard to identify itself as a

premier university, he said.

" This seems kind of like a setback for them, " Didier said, but added, " It's

better than commuting from Houston every day. "

Things aren't all bad for the students. There will be shuttle service from

the hotels to campus, as well as maid service and free Continental breakfast

in the mornings.

" Chisholm is pretty much spoiling us, " said Jr. of Austin.

Officials said students could possibly move in to the residence halls as

soon as today, but that's " cautiously optimistic. "

" We all need to try and keep everything in perspective, " Short said. " We'll

get 'em in as soon as we get clearance. "

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