UVA parent reports mold-infested dorm

Jamie Scher says she was moving her son, a second-year University of Virginia student, into his dorm over the Labor Day weekend when she discovered the room was infested with mold, according to TV station CBS19.

The moldy dorm room is located in the Lambeth dorm building. Furniture, cabinets, and walls were covered.

She says they had to clean up most of the mold themselves and that she spent more than $600 to have it tested.

According to Star Environmental Services, the testing company, this mold came from water loss from the living room HVAC unit.

The mold report says although the unit was cleaned off, the mold will continue to grow back. Scher says UVA’s Facilities Management worked quickly to move her son and his roommate into a new dorm.

She even says she received several private calls from one university professor and doctor.

“She told me I had to get him out of there. He can’t be there because number one, they’re spending tons of time in their rooms because of COVID,” Scher said. “That’s where they’re doing their studying and doing their classes, and if their lungs get compromised from the mold, and if they get COVID, they’re going to be a compromised person. They’re going to be in a much worse situation.”

UVA released a statement acknowledging the issue: “When notified of the issue, university officials from Facilities Management and Environmental Health and Safety acted quickly to ensure the mold problem was remediated and the malfunctioning H-VAC unit replaced.”

Scher says UVA reimbursed her for the mold report and moving expenses.