Mold in Vanderbilt dorms spurs inspections in 500 rooms

Mold in some Vanderbilt University residence halls triggered inspections of about 500 separate rooms in September.

Students in an old cluster of buildings started reporting mold and mildew in their rooms soon after move-in day in August, according to Jim Kramka, Vanderbilt’s senior director of housing operations.

The buildings, gathered around the Alumni Lawn, were built in the 1940s and 1950s. Their age makes them especially susceptible to mold during humid times of year, Kramka said.

More than a dozen reports came in during August and September. Prompted by the complaints, cleaning crews swept through every room to search for mold.

When crews found mold, most often on air-conditioning units, they cleaned and treated surfaces to inhibit growth. When appropriate, they also helped students clean their clothing.

Kramka said the mold did not appear to be harmful.

“These are environmental molds,” he said. “It wouldn’t be something I would call an emergency.”