The Collegian
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Students discover pests in campus housing

<p>University Forest Apartments.</p>

University Forest Apartments.

University of Richmond students moving into on-campus housing found unwelcome visitors in their apartments.

Numerous students have said they discovered pest infestations within their University Forest Apartments, Gateway Apartments and dormitories over the first few weeks of the school year. Students said they have seen cockroaches, spiders, bats and more in the residences.

Senior Kylene Robles said she had encounters with pests when she lived in a UFA last year. Over the course of the year, she found dead bugs on the floor and in the sink, as well as a hornet’s nest outside her back door. 

Just a few days into this semester, Robles and her roommates saw a black spider the size of a ping-pong ball on the floor, she said. 

“I’ve even heard stories of people having cockroaches, mice and snakes in their apartments,” Robles said.

Scott Lincoln, associate director of custodial and environmental services, said infestations most often occur as a result of food not being securely stored.

Robles, however, said: “We have no idea where they came from because we didn’t really have any food lying around.” 

Another senior living in a UFA, Luiza Cocito, found two cockroaches in the guest bathroom shortly after moving in, she said. 

“Right after this experience we met our new neighbors, who told us they found mice feces in their UFA,” Cocito said.

After the incident, Cocito and her roommates submitted a maintenance request, and an exterminator came shortly thereafter.

Scott said apartments and dormitories are thoroughly looked after over the course of the summer.

“Our service provider treats each residential building every summer,” Scott said.

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Scott encouraged students who encounter pests to submit work orders through University Facilities.

Robles said she hoped to see more done to combat pest infestations in student housing.

“I’d like to see maintenance do a walk-through of every apartment right before people move in,” Robles said.

Contact contributor Tyler Rosenstein at tyler.rosenstein@richmond.edu.

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