The Daily Gamecock

Brief: Zeta house empty after elevated mold air levels

Seventeen Zeta Tau Alpha sorority members moved out of their house in Greek Village more than two weeks ago after high mold spore levels in the air were discovered in the house.

Ashley Sherman, the senior communications director for Zeta Tau Alpha’s national chapter, said in an email interview the spores were “non-life-threatening” and easy to remove.

Houses in the Greek Village are owned by the corresponding sorority or fraternity national chapter and are not the university’s responsibility, but the sorority members are receiving temporary housing in a hotel, university spokesperson Jeff Stensland said in an email interview. 

"Poor design and installation of the original HVAC ducts" caused the issue, and the national chapter is working to address the problem, according to Sherman.

“Currently, the facility is undergoing the complete removal and replacement of air ducts as well as an industrial cleaning of all surfaces inside the house,” Sherman said. “After that is complete, dehumidifiers and UV light purification systems within the HVAC system will be installed to prevent any future issues.”

With the Greek meal plan, members of the sorority are required to eat at the sorority or fraternity's house. According to Stensland, the university is working with Aramark, the university’s food service provider, to ensure sorority members are receiving meals until the house is safe to move back into. 

“It covers all of the members who would go to the house for the meal plan,” Stensland said.

Zeta Tau Alpha members can expect to move back in the weekend of Sept. 28, Sherman said.

According to Zeta Tau Alpha bylaws, chapter members are not allowed to comment on housing without the permission of the national chapter.

The chapter president, Casey Magersupp, said she and the other chapter members are eager to return to their house. 


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