Students and staff have found a small mice infestation in Turlington Hall.

According to Kathleen Ruppe, the associate director of Central Campus Housing, a few have been found in just the last month.

‘We have had three of four [mice] recently and I know we’re trying to get to the bottom of it,” Ruppe said. 

Barry Olson, the associate director of University Housing and Facilities, confirmed Ruppe’s report, and added that these reports of mice have been the only ones in the past year.

“Over the past year, we have only had four work orders. They have all occurred over the last month,” Olson said.

All of the mice have been discovered on the third floor, with no evidence of activity anywhere else. Two of these mice were in Katie Hamilton’s room.

“I just had a couple of mice in my room. They came out of a hole in the wall. We caught one in a cup and found one on a glue board,” Hamilton, a junior in landscape architecture, said. “I went to the RD and got Housing to take care of it.”

Eric Stewart, a freshman in art and design, said he found one in his room.

“Just [on Monday], my roommate found a mouse in our room, and we put a sticky pad and it moved without us touching it,” Stewart said.

Yulissa Lin, the community director of University Housing, acknowledged the problem and said the necessary procedures are being completed. 

“We found mice and what we have been doing is finding out where they came from, and we are working with facilities to get rid of them because they are pests,” Lin said.

At the same time, Lin urged residents to be smart about the issue and to help facilities in whatever ways they can.

“We have been asking residents to not leave food out and identify where they are coming out of. We want to get rid of them, and we need to get residents to not let the issue build … so it is necessary for residents to work with staff,” Lin said.

Ruppe also stressed the cooperation of students, because otherwise Facilities will think the problem is solved when it actually isn’t.

“Students need to be sure and let us know. If we only have a few complaints and we think we have it handled and we don’t, the maintenance requests can help us track that,” Ruppe said. “If you see this problem, go online and put a maintenance request in. We want to work together to spot them and get them out.”

John Ashley, the exterminator and safety officer, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. However, Ruppe said Ashley is working hard to solve the problem. 

“I know our exterminator is diligent and trying to address the concerns,” Ruppe said.

So far, students are happy with how the University is handling this problem.

“As long as [University Housing] gives us the measures to help prevent it … and do what we can to help us, such as giving traps, [then I’m fine,]” Stewart said.