“At this time, a single room is offline, the Discovery meeting room, not multiple rooms or spaces,” Seth Bauguess, university spokesman, said to clarify earlier reports.
There are no plans to close any further sections of the Student Union as crews make repairs and replacements, he said.
The 308,000-square-foot facility is 99 percent in use, Bauguess said.
FIRST REPORT
Wright State University could temporarily close parts of its Student Union and is hiring a contractor after mold was discovered in the building’s duct work, according to a university email sent Thursday morning.
“Evidence of mold and moisture was found” in an examination of the building’s heating, air-conditioning and ventilation system, said the email from Marjorie Markopoulos, the university’s director of environmental health and safety. The university shared the email with the Dayton Daily News.
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The university said the mold source was identified and “steps to fix the problem are underway.” Wright State has hired Custer Cleaning and Restoration, LLC for testing and execution of a remediation plan.
Parts of the Student Union “could be temporarily closed,” the email said. Affected ares include: the “discovery room,” men’s and women’s reserve locker rooms, racquetball courts, the billiard and ping-pong gaming area, the climbing wall, exercise studios and the personal assistance station, the email said.
A Wright State spokesman told the Dayton Daily News that, at the moment, just one conference room in the Student Union is closed.
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The duct work was examined after university staff reported a “musty smell” last week in rooms E163 A and B.
“Surface samples taken indicated that duct work surfaces in the affected handler had elevated mold counts,” Markopoulos said in the email. “Air samples observed very low mold levels when compared to outside mold levels. As a precaution, the handler has been turned off.”
“The health and safety of the university community, especially the occupants of the Student Union during this time, is our top priority,” the email also said. “We understand that some in our campus community will be concerned but want you to know that we are carefully addressing the issue.”
Wright State will provide updates on its "occupational and employee safety webpage: https://www.wright.edu/facilities-management-and-campus-operations/services/occupational-and-employee-safety
“Work to fix the issue may take several weeks to complete,” Wright State’s email also says. “During this time you may notice temperature or humidity changes in some areas of the Student Union.”
Those with questions or concerns are asked to call (937) 775-2797 or write to marjorie.markopoulos@wright.edu.
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