According to Facilities Management and Construction Director Mark Zimmerman, there have been no official reports of microbial growth in the Vera Hackman Apartments since students moved back in after the cleaning process Friday, Aug. 31.

However, there have been a few reports from buildings including the Schlosser, Ober and Brinser Residence Halls.

In addition to real and suspected microbial growths, Zimmerman said there have been more water leaks all over campus than usual this semester, usually near windows or air conditioning units. Posts on the E-town Jays app show alleged water leaks and/or microbial growths everywhere from the Marketplace to Schlosser Residence Hall.

“All the rain isn’t helping either because it keeps things wet,” Zimmerman said.

The growth in Hackman was widespread enough that students were forced to relocate to temporary housing, according to Associate Dean of Students and Residence Life Director Allison Bridgeman.

While none of these outbreaks were severe enough to require students to relocate, some students have chosen to move to new temporary or permanent housing.

Bridgeman held one last meeting Thursday, Sept. 13 to answer any final questions students had about the Hackman situation.

No students attended; the time overlapped with the Student Senate meeting regarding the College’s new Tuition Transparency plan.

Bridgeman said she may hold another final meeting after the publication of a report detailing the results of a test conducted after the Hackman cleaning. Both Bridgeman and Zimmerman said doing a “tape test” of surfaces in Hackman after the cleaning was part of the plan all along.

Facilities Management received the report Tuesday, Sept. 18.

The tape test only measures counts of mold spores, which, in the right conditions, can become active growth.

For now, Zimmerman encouraged students in all residence halls to keep their rooms clean and their eyes open.

“There are always spores,” Zimmerman said. “Even when it’s clean, the only way to ensure nothing gets in is to have a totally sealed room that’s never opened.”