Healthy Living Environment for Residence Life

Healthy Living Environment

Living on campus is a great way to meet new friends and get involved on campus. As a resident on campus, we want to share some important steps you can take to ensure a healthy experience.

Student Success & Wellbeing

Diet, sleeping habits and stress levels may change in college, impacting your overall health. We encourage you to take advantage of the following campus resources to ensure a healthy experience on campus:

Managing Seasonal Allergies

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), more than 100 million people in the United States live with various types of allergies every year. Allergens in Nashville, Tennessee, are very high, with the city consistently ranked among the top 30 AAFA "Allergy Capitals" in the U.S. due to a "pollen bowl" effect. High tree pollen (oak, hickory, cedar) in spring, followed by grasses and ragweed, creates severe, year-round issues for allergy sufferers.

Differentiating between common environmental allergies and mold-related concerns cannot be done without additional testing from your health care provider. If you experience sensitivity, as with all health concerns, please consult your physician or the Lipscomb University Health Clinic.

To manage seasonal allergies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:

Monitor Pollen Levels: Check local pollen forecasts and try to stay indoors when counts are high. Track the pollen count at pollen.com.
Hygiene Practices: Shower, wash hair and change clothes after spending time outdoors to remove pollen.
Indoor Air Quality: Use air conditioning in homes and cars.
Protective Gear: Wear sunglasses and a mask or when pollen counts are high.
Medication Management: Use over-the-counter medications like antihistamines, decongestants, or nasal sprays, as recommended by a healthcare provider. If medication has been prescribed to reduce your sensitivity, follow the instructions of your doctor and/or medical personnel.
Avoid "Trigger" Activities: Avoid hanging laundry outside, as it can trap pollen.

If symptoms are severe or persistent, the CDC recommends consulting a health care provider for allergy testing or prescription treatment.

Mildew Prevention

Nashville, Tennessee, experiences high amounts of rainfall, has a humid climate and has four distinct seasons. The city receives high amounts of annual precipitation, averaging around 47 to 53 inches, and experiences hot, muggy summers with high humidity levels, particularly in July and August. These conditions can increase indoor humidity if moisture is not properly managed.

Mold and other fungal spores are a natural part of the outdoor environment. While it is impossible to completely eliminate mold spores, but students can take proactive measures to maintain a healthy living environment on campus.

Mold FAQs

If you believe you have mold in your residence hall room, please submit a Service Operations ticket so that maintenance staff can be notified and respond accordingly.

What causes mold to grow?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, mold is a part of the natural environment that aids in the decomposition of leaves, trees, and other natural outdoor organic materials. Individual mold spores are invisible to the human eye and are continually floating around outside in nature. However, when those spores make their way into the indoors and are exposed to wet/humid areas they can begin to grow or colonize. It is impossible to eliminate mold and mold spores in the indoor environment due to the ingress and egress of daily human activity being carried in on clothing, shoes and backpacks.

Mold is found almost everywhere and can grow on wood, paper, carpet, foods, insulation, ceiling tiles, clothing and painted walls as long as moisture and oxygen are present. Mold needs water or moisture to grow. Controlling humidity in large, heavily populated buildings is difficult, especially in hot humid weather.

Where is mold and mildew found?
Given a source of moisture, mold can grow just about anywhere, indoors and outdoors year-round. Good housekeeping practices are necessary to control mold growth.

How does mold affect people?
According to the CDC, exposure to mold may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all.

Some are sensitive to mold and may experience short-term or acute reactions in the presence of mold growth, while others are not impacted. Symptoms associated with mold exposure are not unique and cannot be readily distinguished from symptoms caused by other medical conditions, such as the common cold or seasonal environmental allergies. We recommend that you see your health care provider if you experience any health concerns.

Why not conduct mold testing?
The Tennessee Department of Health, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), do NOT recommend testing as there are no exposure-based standards to use for evaluation of the sampling results. Instead, careful visual inspection and recognition of moldy odors should be used to identify problems that need correction. Efforts should focus on areas where there are signs of moisture or humidity or where moisture problems are suspected.

How does mold spread?
Mold spores are always present in both the indoor and outdoor environment. According to the CDC, mold spreads by releasing tiny, lightweight spores that travel through the air, water or on items like clothing, backpacks and pets.

Are there national regulations regarding mold?
There are no federal or state regulations governing the presence of mold or mold spores in buildings. There are also no health standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or public health departments for concentrations of mold spores in the indoor air.

What happens if I suspect there is mold in my room?
If you believe you have mold in your room, please submit a Service Operations ticket so that maintenance staff can be notified and respond accordingly. The ticket will be promptly sent to the Department of Facilities. Facilities representatives who have been trained in mold assessment will perform an initial inspection and evaluation in a timely manner and within one business day, if at all possible. The inspection will include identifying visible signs of mold growth, odors that may be indicative of mold growth, excessive humidity, and evidence of water intrusion and water damage. Professional help may be needed to evaluate the area further and identify the issue. If mold growth is found, staff will take appropriate steps to clean or remediate per Lipscomb’s Mold Prevention and Remediation Protocols.

What happens if mold is found in my room?
Measures will be taken to thoroughly clean and dry the area affected. This work may be completed by Lipscomb Facilities staff and/or an outside contractor. Following the initial investigation and evaluation, the Department of Facilities and Office of Risk Management will work together to determine whether Lipscomb can perform the remediation or if a professional remediation company needs to be engaged. In some cases, students may be temporarily relocated within the building to an open room for a few days to allow for proper remediation.

Mold and Mildew Prevention Tips for Your Dorm Room

For rooms with heating and ventilation controls, set the thermostat to a temperature between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not turn the unit on a really cool or hot setting and then turn it off once it gets to that setting. Turning units off and on continually prevents proper air flow, and stagnant air leads to odors and potential mold growth issues.
Air circulation helps prevent mold. Do not block airflow from the HVAC with furniture, bedding, clothing, books or other items. When the unit is blocked, it cannot operate properly and keep air circulating in your room.
Keep ALL vents within the room open and free of obstructions. Don’t tape air ducts closed or cover them with anything to block the flow of air. This prevents proper airflow and can lead to mold growth issues.
Avoid placing damp or wet clothes/towels in closets, wardrobes or storage spaces for extended periods of time as that will provide an environment conducive to mold growth.
If you are living in a dorm with a private bathroom (such as The Village, Bison Hall and the suites in Johnson Hall), you are responsible for cleaning your own bathroom. At least once a week, bathroom shower stalls, sinks, toilets and floors should be scrubbed and cleaned with a bathroom disinfectant. Bathrooms (in Elam, Sewell, High Rise, Johnson, and Fanning Suites) are cleaned weekly by Lipscomb Housekeeping.
Limit hot showers to shorter periods of time, to prevent excessive humidity and steam buildup.
Remove living plants from your dorm room. Wet soil/plants and containers, such as wicker baskets, introduce moisture in the air and promote fungal growth.
Good housekeeping practices (vacuum floors, wipe down desks, clean up spills quickly, keep dorm refrigerators cleaned out and free of old food).
Empty all trash and recycling regularly.
Store food in airtight containers. Do not keep leftover or old food in your room.

Read Lipscomb’s Mold Prevention and Remediation Protocols.