Campus Health & Safety Updates
Newtown Campus – Grupp Hall and Founders Hall
Executive Summary of the Results of the Indoor Air Sampling of Grupp Hall and Founders Hall, Newtown, PA
Conducted by Remington & Vernick Engineers
Nineteen different contaminants were tested within three different environments:
- Carbon Monoxide
- Carbon Dioxide
- Oxygen
- VOC's
- Hyrdogen Sulfide
- Nitrogen Oxides
- TCE
- Lead
- Legionella
- TCE (in air and carpet glue)
- PFAS
- Atrazine
- Mold (in air and on surface)
- Bacteria
- Phthalates
- PFAS
- Radon
Remington & Vernick Engineers Recommendations
- Areas of mold and bacteria be professional cleaned and sanitized.
- Signs should be added to sinks not frequently in use that the water should run for at least 30 seconds prior to use.
- Install door vents on offices with elevated radon levels.
- A campus cleaning and maintenance plan should be updated or developed to include updating cleaning regimens.
- Replace carpet in Grupp Hall.
- Resample specific areas of concern.
- If elevated conditions continue, explore remediation options including venting systems (radon), reverse osmosis filtration (lead), water treatment system (legionella), HVAC upgrades or modifications (carbon dioxide, radon, mold), etc.
Remediation
The College has reviewed all the recommendations by Remington & Vernick and, out of an abundance of caution, the College’s remediation plans will meet, and in many cases, exceed those recommendations. This plan comes from the College’s commitment to ensuring the safety and comfort of all members of the college community. The College’s remediation plan includes a thorough professional cleaning of both Founders and Grupp Halls, replacement of carpets in Grupp Hall, advisory signage on water sources, installation of door vents in certain offices, and the closure of certain spaces in Grupp Hall to facilitate the remediation work. Remediation efforts are underway now. Most will be complete by the start of classes but certain longer-term projects like carpet replacement in Grupp Hall are expected to be complete by the beginning of the spring term.
Read more about the Proposed Action Plan.
Tobacco and Vape-Free Campus
Starting January 1, 2024, the College's comprehensive tobacco and vape-free policy goes into effect across all campuses. Learn more about the policy and how it may impact you.