WVU students and parents share concern about mold in the dorms

MORGANTOWN, W.Va (WDTV) - Bryan Duft and Michael Dyer were excited to start their freshman year at West Virginia University.

However, both started to feel ill after they moved into Summit Hall.

The boys said their room was always moist, and they experienced what they said was mold on the wall.

“I touch my pillows on my bed, and it is like damp to touch,” Duft said.

It wasn’t just the boys that noticed a problem.

“I was sick for two weeks, and then my parents came up for family weekend. They noticed it too,” Dyer explained.

He said someone from the university did come to look at the room, and their air quality reading was normal, but he still felt uneasy.

“All they did was spray it with bleach and rub it down. So, I don’t really know if that covered it all or not,” Dyer added.

However, this issue did not begin this year. Senior Hope Donahue and her roommate experienced a similar problem when they moved into Summit Hall three years ago.

“Neither of us had a voice, like we were both coughing, stuffy noses like pretty much COVID before COVID was COVID,” she explained.

A spokesperson from WVU said they were aware of the concerns from parents regarding the condition of the Evansdale Residential Complex and Summit Hall.

“All inspections to date this fall have determined there are no significant or widespread mold issues in the residence halls. WVU has completed a thorough investigation of more than 200 residential spaces in Summit Hall and the ERC throughout the past year and has determined these facilities are safe and do not have any significant or widespread mold issues,” the spokesperson shared with 5 News.

Students were asked to submit a work order if they had concerns about mold or mildew in their rooms, where a visual inspection and an air quality test would be performed.

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