photo by: Screenshot

A photo taken of Gessner Hall's Basement Bathroom on Friday, August 23, 2024.

A public health order put in place last year after students complained of mold exposure in dormitories at Baker University was rescinded on Thursday, according to a statement from Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.

The order was put in place in response to complaints filed on Aug. 23, 2024, with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Three people complained that they had experienced health issues, including sore throats and hives, as a result of mold exposure in Gessner and Irwin Halls, as the Journal-World reported.

According to a news release from LDCPH, after the health order was issued, Baker notified students about the mold exposure and hired a company for mold remediation. It provided LDCPH with documentation that showed the remediation efforts were completed on Oct. 8, 2024.

LDCPH conducted two follow-up site visits — on Oct. 25, 2024, and May 9, 2025 — and determined that the university had complied with the order and the problem had been addressed.

Although the public health order is no longer in effect, the release said “LDCPH strongly recommends that the university continue taking proactive measures to prevent mold regrowth, respond promptly to reports, and implement a monitoring system to track mold-related concerns and corresponding actions.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Gessner Hall on Friday, September 6, 2024.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Irwin Hall on Friday, September 6, 2024.