USM Review: UMD Followed Recognized Health Protocols in Adenovirus, Mold Response

University of Maryland officials followed recognized federal, state and campus protocols in their efforts to inform the campus community last fall about an adenovirus outbreak and to respond to the presence of mold in campus buildings, according to an independent review released yesterday by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.

The independent panel of six experts also recommended that the university improve its emergency management response and communication processes and develop data tracking to identify infectious disease trends that would require a coordinated campus response.

“Although there is always room for improvement, and this panel makes recommendations to that end, without exception our investigation found that university employees worked tirelessly to address both the adenovirus and mold incidents during the Fall of 2018,” Charles L. Simmons Jr., a partner in the Maryland law firm Gorman & Williams, LLP who oversaw the review, said in a statement to the USM. “Our review found that safety and health were paramount to those addressing the problems, and cost was never a limiting factor. We found no evidence that university employees knowingly withheld information at any time.”

The panel, convened at the request of Gov. Larry Hogan in May, reviewed more than 25,000 pages of documents and interviewed a dozen university employees in its investigation into the university’s handling of the mold and adenovirus issues. First-year student Olivia Paregol died on Nov. 18, 2018, from complications of a severe case of adenovirus.

University President Wallace D. Loh, offering condolences to the Paregol family, sent out the following email to campus to notify the community that the report is available:

Dear University of Maryland Community,

Today, the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents released the final report of an independent review of the University of Maryland's response to the presence of adenovirus on campus, as well as mold in the residence halls, during the fall 2018 semester.

The review was conducted by a panel of individuals selected by the USM Board, each with specific subject-matter expertise in areas including infectious diseases, public health, and facilities management. The complete report can be found here.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the tragic passing of first-year student Olivia Paregol, the University of Maryland offers its condolences to her parents, family and friends.

Our campus works tirelessly on behalf of the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, and we will carefully consider the report’s recommendations. The panel unanimously found that university employees prioritized student health and safety above all else. At the same time, our work on campus safety is always ongoing.

You can find additional information about the university's response and continuing work to address infectious disease, moisture, and mold on our campus here:

Mold Response in Fall 2018
Actions on Adenovirus in Fall 2018
Moisture Control Efforts Moving Forward
Resources for Students with Health Conditions

I thank the USM, the Regents and the review panel for their contributions to this report.

Sincerely,

Wallace D. Loh
President, University of Maryland