Some South Dakota State University students living in the Meadows Apartments have been raising concerns about air quality in the complex this semester, citing potential health risks.

Students have used the word “mold” to describe what they have found in some air ducts and other parts of their apartments.

But university officials will not confirm whether the concerns stem from mold. When asked specifically if mold had been found in the Meadows complex, Rebecca Peterson, director of Housing and Residential Life, said she could not disclose that information.

And while the university has taken action to address student worries, some students said they think their concerns have not been fully addressed and they are frustrated with the university’s response.

The air quality concerns have affected both the Meadows North and South buildings.

In response to student concerns, the university had a company clean the air ducts in both buildings of the complex in late September. Some students said they didn’t feel well before the cleaning.

Since the duct cleaning, some students have said the university was slow to act and has not been transparent about the scope of the problem.

Lillian Traxler, a resident of Meadows South, said: “It’s disgusting and I’m always sick. We’re paying a lot of money to live here, but I’m worried about mold affecting my health.”

“We’re paying for safe, healthy housing,” she added. “But when you have to worry about things like mold in your walls and ducts, it doesn’t feel like that’s what we’re getting.”

Peterson said SDSU received several reports of concern this fall about air quality in the Meadows Apartments, prompting the university to take steps to clean the air.

“We wanted to be proactive and take care of the buildings,” she said.

“If a student has a concern related to air quality, we work with them to submit a work order,” Peterson added. “Our environmental health and safety team conducts a visual inspection and takes air quality samples, which are sent to an independent lab for analysis.”

Despite the university’s actions, many students have been skeptical about the response this fall. Other residents shared concerns similar to what Traxler described, noting that despite paying the higher rent rates for Meadows than for some other on-campus housing, they have not been fully informed about the air-quality issue or the steps taken to address it.

Dillyn Jones is a sophomore majoring in graphic design who has been living in Meadows North since August of this year. He said he thinks the situation was handled poorly.

“Overall, I think the situation was not handled very properly or professionally,” Jones said. “I think it was kind of swept under the rug and minimized as much as it could, because it’s made news headlines before and has been a recurring problem.

“The university needs to do better. Not could. Needs to,” he added. “And I think it could. But it was handled so irresponsibly and unprofessionally when students’ health is at risk. Why are these vents not being cleaned every single summer? They want to charge us for paint damage, why are they not cleaning the vents?”

To address the concerns, SDSU hired INTEK Cleaning and Restoration to perform maintenance on the air ducts. The university also has conducted air quality testing in response to student complaints.

Emma Williams, residence hall director for Hansen, Waneta and the Meadows Apartments, assured students that air quality testing revealed no evidence of hazardous substances.

“We appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention so that we could respond quickly to ensure that the living space is safe,” Williams said in an email to students in the complex that submitted work orders. “We secured air quality testing for your unit from a third-party laboratory that specializes in environmental health and toxicology. Your testing results showed no elevated levels and no concerns are reported. As part of ongoing efforts to ensure your safety we will continue to change air filter routinely while responding to any questions you may have.”

While those air quality tests did not show immediate danger, some students, including Traxler, remain concerned about the long-term implications of living in the apartment complex.

And though SDSU has taken steps to clean the air ducts and conduct air quality tests, some students said they think more needs to be done to address the root causes of air quality problem. Students argue that, despite the university’s assurances, the problem remains unresolved.

“The problem is not just about cleaning the ducts,” Traxler said. “It’s about fixing the source of the moisture and preventing mold from coming back.”