WKU moves mold prevention measures into Minton Hall

Nicole Ziege

WKU has moved its efforts of combating and preventing mold to Minton Hall.

Bob Skipper, director or public relations, said WKU’s Housing and Residence Life hired an outside contractor to complete HVAC unit inspections and cleanings in Minton Hall. Inspections have been completed on floors 10, nine and eight. Floor seven has started being inspected.

Follow-up cleaning in individual rooms on floors nine and 10 in Minton Hall started on Thursday and will continue on the eighth floor on Friday, according to WKU.

“The contractor is systematically working through the entire building,” Skipper said in an email. “Residents are being notified as crews make their way to their floors.”

In his email, Skipper said crews will provide students with wipes for cleaning personal property. HRL will provide Minton residents with free laundry through Nov. 30.

On Oct. 23, Skipper said in an email maintenance crews from HRL and Facilities Management departments finished cleaning more than 780 rooms in Bemis Lawrence Hall, Barnes Campbell Hall and Pearce-Ford Tower in order to address indoor air quality concerns. On that day, the university shifted its focus to Minton Hall.

On Wednesday, a Minton Hall resident named Sophie tweeted pictures of mold she said appeared on items in her dorm room, including her bed, purse, boots and her bookshelf. In the tweet, she tagged WKU, HRL and the Herald.

According to Skipper’s email, WKU staff will respond to new work order requests as they are received. Students with maintenance requests can submit a work order online, by text, by phone or in person.

The Herald first reported on Sept. 17 about mold allegedly causing a resident to become ill and undergo tonsil surgery. The university began inspecting and cleaning all rooms in Bemis, Barnes and PFT, as previously reported.

Nicole Ziege can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @NicoleZiege.