SAVANNAH- 992 student work orders were found by Inkwell in the past months, raising concerns about the quality of Armstrong’s student housing.

Students submitted the work orders for Compass Point and Windward Commons dorms between Aug. 9, 2022 and Jan. 12, 2023. University Crossings, the third apartment complex on campus, was not included in these records. Currently, only 701 of the 1,219 apartments on campus are occupied.

What is Going on in Windward Commons?

Out of the work orders, there were 30 regarding mold.

Roommates Destiny Neale and Naomi Curtis were among those who submitted multiple work orders for mold in their dorm.

“It’s all over the walls and the bathroom ceiling while also starting to get above our sink,” Neale said. Neale continued by explaining that using her bathroom makes her uncomfortable. “Every time I take a shower or just go into the bathroom, I just feel gross.”

What is Being Done?

Until last week, Curtis said that the university never adequately addressed the mold that she and her roommate had been dealing with for the past semester, “The first couple times, all they did was roll paint over it and within days they had to come back.”

We received records showing Neale and Curtis had put in a work order for mold, in which maintenance indicated they had “cleaned and painted.”

Mike Grossman, General Manager of Prism Home and Building Inspections, a company that performs mold testing and inspections for residential homes and commercial buildings, spoke with us. Grossman says, “Mold growth is predominant in this area of the country because of the climate, humidity and being close to the water. Sometimes people think they have cleaned it well. They’ll put a fresh coat of paint over it, and then it’ll grow back through the paint sometimes within two to three days.”

Neale and Curtis both cited housing as a factor in their decision not to return to Georgia Southern.

“Everyone spoke highly of the Armstrong campus. People said it was new, and the campus is beautiful, but if you told me those are new dorms, I wouldn’t believe it,” Neale said.

While numerous attempts were made between March 22 and the publication of this story, the university did not respond when asked about mold remediation procedures or housing quality, despite receiving updates on housing improvements.

Editors Note: As we continue to make developments and receive more requested information from the university, updates will be made.