Facilities Operations and Residential Life & Education have released a statement clarifying points and providing context regarding an article about mold concerns in Hansen Leadership Hall from the Sept. 25 issue of The Owl. The article did not accurately reflect Facilities Operations or Residential Life’s perspective or procedures. The Owl strives to be fair and accurate in our reporting.
Doane University takes the health, safety, and well-being of our students extremely seriously. We appreciate students bringing concerns about their living environment forward and want to ensure that those concerns are addressed through the appropriate channels and a process for inspection, remedy, and follow-up.
Prior to the article being published in The Doane Owl, Residential Life and Facilities had already been made aware of a “mold-related” concern in Hansen Hall, which was quickly addressed. Impacted students were moved to other accommodations, allowing Doane to follow up on the concerns in the room, and they also received a credit on their Doane account. We encourage any students who have a concern about their room or living environment to always report it to their Community Director first. This allows Residential Life to document the concern, follow up with the appropriate campus partners to determine the action to be taken in each instance, and ensure that the issue is evaluated and addressed appropriately.
We also want to clarify that this is not a widespread issue on campus, and not every substance or discoloration observed in a residence hall can be identified as “mold” without appropriate evaluation by technicians. Staff may therefore refer to a reported substance as a potential or suspected concern until it can be evaluated. When concerns warrant it, Doane works with an environmental expert to do follow-up testing and develop remedial steps to address any concerns.
Students are the priority for Doane University. We encourage students who have concerns about their living environment to communicate with their Community Director so that we can respond to the specific situation and take appropriate action.
Facilities Operations
Residential Life & Education