WEST LONG BRANCH — Mold has been found in five residence halls at Monmouth University, but a college official said they should be cleaned and ready for students before school opens.
Susan A. Doctorian, associate vice president for Public Affairs, said on Monday that the mold was discovered by some employees last week as they were going into the buildings to prepare them for the fall semester.
She said the mold was found in five of the 13 residence halls the school has on campus and is not widespread. The affected area is about 60 square feet total in the five buildings, she said.
"It’s not rampant, but the point is, it’s in five residence halls and we need to provide remediation in all five residence halls to make sure they are completely taken care of," she said.
Doctorian attributed the mold to the humid and rainy weather that has plagued the shore this summer.
She said the employees found the mold amid some condensation and moisture in the buildings, and quickly reported that to the Facilities Management Department, which immediately took action by calling in mechanical/industrial hygiene engineers to a professional inspection.
"At the same time, facilities management started the dehumidification process," she said.
Fire sprinklers had been installed in one of the residence halls over the summer, she added.
Doctorian said the professionals are now developing a plan to get rid of the problem.
Asked when the work will be completed, she said she would have a better sense of that by mid-week, but said the goal was to have the residence halls ready for occupancy by Labor Day.
Doctorian said the buildings largely went unoccupied during the summer, although some were occupied for short periods by participants in camps run on the campus, the Governor’s School and Monmouth’s summer school.
Some athletes are arriving on campus now, she said, but most students won’t begin arriving until Labor Day weekend.
"Sunday will be freshmen move-in day," she explained. "Tuesday afternoon the bulk of the students will be returning."
"Classes start Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 11:30 a.m.," she said.
While total enrollment at the university will be about 6,200, including both full-time and part-time, graduate and undergraduate students, only around 1,800 live in residence halls on the campus and in the Esplanade Hotel on Route 36, according to Doctorian.
By Sherry conohan
Staff Writer
Mold shows up in Monmouth U. residence halls, officials say