RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina State University is hosting an information session about Poe Hall on Monday. N.C. State closed the building about four months ago after tests found high levels of toxic chemicals inside.
Thousands of students, along with hundreds of faculty and staff, were relocated to other spaces on campus.
Since the closure, some staff and students have said the university hasn’t been transparent enough. One goal of Monday’s webinar is to answer questions people might have about the ongoing situation.
One of the main concerns for people who worked in or had classes in Poe Hall is the possible health impacts of that exposure. The test results, shared by the university, show Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) were detected in Poe Hall.
According to the EPA, PCBs are manmade chemicals that were often used in building materials before they were banned in 1979. The chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in animals and impact the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems.
Dr. LoriAnn Stretch is a former doctoral student and adjunct faculty member at N.C. State. She said she was in and out of the building for about 19 years, including while she was pregnant and breastfeeding. Stretch says she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.
She also said she and her two children have all had other health challenges along the way, so she can’t help but question whether her time at Poe Hall contributed to all of that.
Stretch said N.C. State has not reached out to her about the situation at Poe Hall and she understands there won’t be answers overnight, but she would like the university to do more in the meantime.
“Politics and bureaucracy and processes that have to be followed. But I want to have transparency of communication about what is happening. I also want to feel like there are things that are being done in a way that is respectful of those of us who have been impacted and those of us that continue to be impacted,” Stretch said.
Stretch said she’s continuing to follow the situation and still has questions. What items were disposed of from Poe Hall and when? She’s also looking for a more direct timeline regarding who knew about the PCBs and when. She believes those questions are basic facts that need to be laid out on the table.
“I understand they need to protect themselves in some way, but ultimately it’s about humans and we should be taking care of each other,” Stretch said. “I think the only way that we’re going to uncover what’s really happening is if we all work together. And I don’t see that happening right now. I feel like N.C. State’s gone into a protective mode. And again, just the lack of communication has been very concerning for me.”
Stretch also says she has legal representation regarding the Poe Hall situation.
Spectrum News 1 asked N.C. State about any resources they’ve offered to people who may have been affected, and the university shared the following statement: “NC State acted swiftly, voluntarily and proactively in closing the building as soon as it received preliminary information suggesting the need for further assessment.”
“This entire process was initiated because the university listened to employees who expressed concerns. We’re seeking answers about the building with our community - and their health - in mind. Protecting the health and safety of our community is and always has been our top priority throughout this evaluative period. It’s why we voluntarily closed the building and it’s why we’re working to understand what potential issues exist. Until we know more, we continue to encourage individuals who have health concerns to speak with their medical providers,” N.C. State said.
The university’s hour-long webinar regarding Poe Hall is set for Monday at 10:30 a.m.. The university said they’ve received more than 35 questions for the webinar through the webpage they have set up.