Days after a group of students joined a lawsuit against the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, over mold in an all-female residence hall built in 1926, three students have moved out of the facility.
The Tennessean reports that Room 47 in Johnson Hall has been evacuated and three students are staying in Cannon Hall, a different residence hall on campus.
In October 2024, the university evacuated students and took steps to remediate the mold problems in Johnson Hall before letting students return to the facility.
"The university hasn't solved the problem," said Kristina Baehr, an attorney for the Sewanee students. "It is outrageous that they shepherded in a new round of freshmen to this dorm. I am furious. you should be too; parents are furious."
Parker Oliver, a spokesperson for Sewanee, said that the university received a report from a student concerned about possible mold in a room in Johnson Hall. It conducted an initial inspection and found "no visible presence of mold."
Sewanee has contracted with a company specializing in mold identification and testing to "sample the air quality in the room in question, as well as rooms throughout the residence hall," Oliver said. It did this "despite the findings of the initial inspection, and in an effort to address student concerns," Oliver said.
Seven students and their families filed suit last month over their possible exposure to mold in Johnson Hall.
Baehr said several other people have expressed interest in joining the lawsuit.
According to the suit, a mold inspection company hired by a parent determined the mold levels in Johnson Hall made it "not safe for human occupation."
The students who joined the lawsuit all lived in Johnson Hall and reported wide-ranging physical and mental symptoms including depression, anxiety, memory problems, brain fog, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal issues, coughing and fatigue.
