Bozorth Hall, the second-oldest building on Rowan’s campus, has recently undergone asbestos management without alerting students or faculty members.
If you’ve been inside the building recently, you may have noticed room 104 has been tented and sealed off for treatment of asbestos. On Thursday, Sept. 25, continuous air testing machines were placed in the hallways, sparking significant concern among students and faculty.
Room 104 is the office of Professor Kacey Doran, who has been unable to use the space for some time.
“I was notified that the office needed treatment during the summer by my department chair, Professor Kathryn Quigley,” said Doran. “I was on vacation when she asked the facilities staff to check out the leak in my ceiling. They discovered mold behind my bookcase, opened the wall, and then I believe that’s when the asbestos in that part of the building was discovered.”
The facilities department also informed Doran that she would need to leave her office immediately.
“I was stopping by my office during the summer for some meetings and only had minutes to move everything to my desk away from the work and skedaddle,” Doran said. “It’s been pretty rough not having an office. I haven’t been spending a lot of time on campus. I’m worried I’m not giving my students enough opportunities to discuss class issues with me, and I’m exhausted when I am on campus running around.”
Former building coordinator and current professor Keith Brand has been teaching in the building for over 25 years and has raised concerns himself.
“I’m not surprised that there needed to be asbestos removal in Bozorth Hall,” said Brand. “That process started this summer, and we were notified to avoid the building. I was surprised to see them back again, and with no notification to students or faculty. I’ve told administration that Bozorth Hall should be bulldozed immediately. It’s the second-oldest building on campus and is constantly subject to leaking. Three offices had to be remediated in this latest onslaught.”
Bozorth is home to the Department of Journalism and Rowan Television and Film Studies. It is also where professors from each department have their offices.
Asbestosis is a health condition that could form from inhaling a significant amount of the substance, according to the Mayo Clinic. The substance is commonly found in older buildings, where it is typically used in insulation and tiling.
As of the time this article has been published, Rowan facilities has not responded to The Whit’s request for comment.
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