By
Anastasia Ching
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Faculty members experienced headaches, fevers
Mold contamination found in the hallway and several offices in the UA journalism department is forcing faculty members to pack up and move out later this week.
The journalism department faculty offices, located in the Franklin Building, will be closed and sealed Thursday in preparation for University of Arizona Facilities Management and Risk Management and Safety to begin steps toward eradicating the mold. The faculty offices will remain closed for the next three weeks, said Jacqueline Sharkey, journalism department acting head.
The unspecified mold was first discovered in June by Susan Knight, a journalism lecturer.
"I was moving a bookshelf in one of the back offices and I found a black, fuzzy mold about three feet off the ground," Knight said.
This mold was treated unsuccessfully with a bleach solution, said Steve Holland, Risk Management director.
The mold is growing as a result of heavy rainfall and flooding from an exterior stairwell during the past several years, Holland said. The water has seeped into the carpeting, creating an ideal environment for mold growth.
A metal awning over the stairwell and a hole at the bottom of the stairs has not been sufficient in preventing and draining the flood water, Holland said.
Beginning Monday, Southwest Hazard Control, a local firm specializing in asbestos and mold removal, will rip up the carpeting and remove the drywall where there is visible mold, Holland said.
Because of the recent toxic mold contamination at Christopher City and health complaints from faculty members, Sharkey is concerned that removing only the visible mold won't be enough.
"I fear the possibility that there is mold infestation that is not visible that might cause problems later," Sharkey said.
Holland, however, claims that removal of only the visible mold is sufficient.
"Mold is ubiquitous, there is no such thing as a mold-free building," Holland said. "As long as we eliminate the flooding concerns and the visible mold then it shouldn't be a problem."
Several faculty members have complained of headaches, dizziness, fevers and shortness of breath since the beginning of this semester.
"I get headaches and fevers while I'm in the office and they subside two to three hours after I get home," Knight said. "We don't have any definitive proof that these health problems are related, but they seem consistent with the exposure."
Bacteria was also found in the basement-level ventilation system and the type of bacteria is also undetermined, Sharkey said.
"I had them check the ventilation system for mold, and they found bacteria," Sharkey said. "Facilities Management said they would clean it out."
After the mold is removed, Facilities Management will put in new carpeting, fully enclose the exterior stairwell and enlarge the hole used for drainage, she said.
With their offices closed until next semester, the journalism faculty will have to think of alternative places to meet with their students.
"We will be moving the faculty computers into the Mangelsdorf Room on the mezzanine level and faculty members can grade papers and do their work there," Sharkey said. "As far as meeting with students, we will have to look at Park Student Union as a possibility as well as increasing e-mail communication."
While some chaos is expected to follow the move, faculty members said it will be worth the disruption.
"We will work around the inconvenience," Sharkey said. "The health and safety of our faculty and students is our No. 1 concern."
