Since the closure of Poe Hall, more than 150 people have contacted WRAL 5 On Your Side, publicizing cancer cases and different serious illnesses. Chancellor Randy Woodson has made many statements which repeat the similar information and promises guaranteeing that the University cares for our health, with little to no reputable actions to back up this claim. I am writing this letter to express my concern for the health of our student body.

The University even disclosed that tests for PCBs and other high-risk contaminants may not be conducted on other buildings on campus. Poe Hall was built in 1971, meaning that yes, the building is rather old, but not nearly as old as other buildings on campus which hold hundreds of lectures, offices and facilities.

For example, as a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences student, I am a frequent attendee of Williams Hall, which was originally built in 1952. Recently, we have been told to not drink the water in Williams Hall because of finicky pipes. Therefore, I can only imagine what contaminants might be present within the walls of the campus building I call home.

I am also curious as to why these buildings are not being tested, especially since many older buildings on campus house smaller programs which bring in less income for the University, in comparison to the College of Engineering, for example, which brings in great income and is mainly housed in new buildings on Centennial Campus.

I am concerned for the health of myself and my fellow students and staff. Our campus is full of dated buildings, far older than Poe Hall, which could possibly contain many carcinogenic contaminants, with daily intake from thousands of campus-goers.

Giving my own personal testimony, I had a course in Poe Hall in the fall of 2023, the semester in which the closure ensued. My class took place on both the second and sixth floors, and the first phase of testing detected higher concentrations of PCBs on floors three through seven.

Throughout last semester, acne broke out all over my face, back and shoulders; I developed random rashes; I had rather irregular menstrual cycles and high mood swings; and I was often fatigued.

I have always been a rather healthy individual with little to no regular health adversities such as these. Therefore, I was concerned about my hormone health, and had many questions as to what the origin of these issues could be. I even started to notice odd lumps in my breasts, to which I went to see a specialist for.

I was told everything was fine, but still had concerns. January of this year, I actually went to get an ultrasound for the lumps, and a tumor was found. I have been informed that this tumor is most likely benign given my age and lack of breast cancer in my family history. However, hearing this news was remarkably startling given the hormone fluctuation symptoms I faced while attending class in Poe Hall, and more notably, the reports of breast cancer cases from fellow Poe Hall attendees. To be frank, I am scared, and I find it unjust for the University to not test other older campus buildings for contaminants.

The student body of our campus deserves to know that the Poe Hall issue is real and should not be overshadowed, and for anyone who has the same concerns or experiences, that they are not alone. Together, we are stronger, and I believe that by spreading this word, especially in the midst of recent Student Government elections, that our voice can have a greater impact.

Specifically, my hope is that by uniting in our concerns, the student body can influence the University to test other campus buildings for threatening contaminants. The short- and long-term health of our student body depends upon this.

Sincerely,

Chloe Sharpe