Hundreds of Virginia Commonwealth University students have been displaced after elevated levels of mold were found in a freshman dormitory.
VCU announced last week that Johnson Hall will remain closed for the rest of the academic year, news outlets reported. The move is displacing 414 students. They can cancel their housing contracts or be relocated by the university.
After students reported concerns about humidity, moisture and mold in the 106-year-old building in September, a contractor found elevated levels of mold in a small percentage of rooms and affected students were relocated. But in early November, further testing found elevated spore counts in 18% of the 228 spaces tested.
After VCU notified students of the closure, 72 canceled either their fall contract, spring contract or both. The remaining 342 have accepted new housing assignments, and most have already completed their move, VCU spokesman Michael Porter said.
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With some coursework now online, some students have the option to stay home and complete the semester online.
In 2018, University of Maryland students were forced to move out of a dorm buildingafter mold spread to some residents' personal items.
