The presence of toxic chemicals in a now-shuttered academic building at North Carolina State University has raised intense questions about whether faculty’s working conditions made them sick, and whether the administration has mishandled the crisis.
The health crisis — which has reportedly affected both students and employees — has created what one former graduate student calls a “really palpable sense of fear of the unknown, among everyone.” Meanwhile, critics of the administration say it has been tight-lipped and distant.
The university closed Poe Hall, which houses the psychology department and the College of Education, in November after preliminary tests found that five rooms in Poe were contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, at levels up to 38 times greater than federal-safety standards, according to NC Newsline. The chemicals, whose manufacture was outlawed in 1979, have been linked to a host of medical conditions, including cancer.
In the months since, reports have swirled identifying dozens of people who worked in Poe Hall who contracted cancer. The local television station WRAL, which has aggressively covered the story, reported this month that it had “received 101 reports of cancer” from people who spent time in the building.
The diagnoses are only one part of the controversy. WRAL reported that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health began a health-hazard investigation into the Poe Hall cases, and then abruptly closed it, saying the university had taken back its request for an investigation. A January 22 memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the federal investigation, which is done free of charge, was closed because “the North Carolina State University’s Office of General Counsel has asked us to stop our evaluation because they are conducting their own internal investigation.”
That news sparked further outrage, even as university leaders insisted they never told the feds to leave. This week, the university again requested a federal investigation into Poe Hall.
In a statement to The Chronicle, the university said it would keep the Environmental Protection Agency informed about its own investigation. “Once Geosyntec, the university’s environmental consultant, concludes its investigation and testing in Poe Hall, recommendations will be shared with university leadership,” the statement read, in part. “Before moving forward with any needed mitigation, NC State will connect with agency partners, including the EPA, to ensure our work is conducted in line with applicable requirements.”
The building’s closure forced the relocation of more than 4,000 students, and more than 400 faculty, staff, and graduate students.
Christopher Broadhurst, a former graduate student in higher education administration at the university, complained that the university has not proactively reached out to former students and employees. In many cases, those who worked or studied at Poe Hall have learned of the health risks from news reports, he said.
“I get emails from the alumni association all the time, asking for money, so they have our contact information, and they know our majors,” said Broadhurst, now an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of New Orleans. “Why can’t you reach out?”
In a written response to questions from The Chronicle, a university spokesman said the university will provide frequent updates to the community about its investigation. “Protecting the health and safety of our community is and always has been our top priority throughout this evaluative period,” the spokesman said. “It’s why we voluntarily closed the building and it’s why we’re working to understand what potential issues exist. We recognize that those who have spent time in the building are concerned — and we hear them.”
They handled this about as poorly as they could.
Last week, the university publicized initial test results from its investigation, which found varying levels of PCBs in the building when the HVAC system was turned off. All 14 samples taken from the air, the university wrote, “were below the Environmental Protection Agency’s established exposure levels for evaluating PCBs in school indoor air environments like Poe Hall.”
But some at the university say they have lost trust in its leaders. One professor, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2022 and who declined to be identified because of fear of retaliation, told The Chronicle: “They handled this about as poorly as they could.”
“They have cared much more, at least they communicated that they cared much more, about keeping us at work, mission continuity, and their own liability.”
The professor said they went through 18 months of cancer treatment, and after finally returning to work, was shocked by the November closure of Poe Hall because of PCBs.
The realization that their job was linked to cancer has been “retraumatizing,” the professor said.
Last week, faculty in the College of Education voted “no confidence” in Chancellor Randy Woodson and Provost Warwick Arden.
Stephen Porter, a professor who spearheaded the no-confidence vote, said there is a “sense of betrayal” at the university.
“Faculty, historically, are seen as co-managers of the university,” Porter said. “We’ve been completely shut out of all decision-making, and all information-sharing, on this topic.”
In response, Woodson wrote in a message that he and Arden were “disappointed” in the vote and “committed — as we always have been — to maintaining our community’s trust in leadership and this institution.”
“One of the particular concerns that has been raised is transparency about our process,” he added. “To this point, it has been our approach to reach out to the community only if and when we have new information to share. And, each time we’ve received updates, we’ve shared them with you.”
For years, employees have had concerns about the safety of Poe Hall, said Paul Umbach, a professor in the department of educational leadership, policy, and human development. About a decade or so ago, Umbach noticed “black stuff” on the building’s air-conditioning vents.
In recent months, prompted by local media coverage, numerous employees and students have shared stories of illness. A private Facebook group has been formed for those who spent time working or studying in Poe Hall. “There’s been a long conversation about the general health of the building,” Umbach said.
