Campus health officials and building occupants of Ingraham Hall will address an isolated mold outbreak Wednesday that has displaced some University of Wisconsin employees from their offices since September. Several building members, especially those who have had severe allergic reactions, have criticized the university for its slow response to the mold. Some people are using the nearby American Indian Studies Library in the building as a temporary office while others work off-campus. "It’s really been frustrating," said Alex Nading, a University of Wisconsin graduate student and limited-term employee. "The main problem is lack of organization." University health officials first learned about Ingraham’s third-floor mold in the beginning of September. Nading describes the response as "a little haphazard" because employees have not seen improvement since the fall semester began. Paul Nadasdy, director of the American Indian Studies Program, said his office on the third floor was "pretty much uninhabitable" when he returned to campus in August. He closed the program’s entire office because he noticed staff members were having negative reactions to the air quality. "I don’t know what was being done, but the problems weren’t being fixed," Nadasdy said. "It’s definitely reduced our productivity." Keith Burdick, of UW’s Environment, Health and Safety Department, said the meeting today with building residents probably should have happened last week. "We really needed to talk to those folks," Burdick said. "There wasn’t a really solid schedule about the timing of what’s going to happen and when it’s happening." Burdick said a private cleaning company was hired to remove some mold on carpeting, and the university will know the results of mold samples today or Thursday. Mold is a routine complaint coming from older buildings on campus like Ingraham Hall, he added, but there are usually few health concerns involved. Some building residents chose to leave their offices because their reactions to the mold were too uncomfortable. Nading said he suffered from both headaches and allergic outbreaks after being exposed to mold pores for 15 minutes. He has not filed an official complaint with health officials because "I wouldn’t like it to come to that." "The reason we’re vacating is because we’re feeling like we’re getting sick," Nading said. Health officials believe the mold is growing in the building from leaking air conditioners and accumulated condensation, but the exact source is still under investigation. Burdick said the mold could have accumulated during some of the August’s heavy rainstorms and high humidity. Mold mainly flourishes in damp and humid environments like swamps or basements. Burdick said the university has pinpointed a few problematic areas on the third floor, but larger structural improvement to Ingraham Hall would be a long-term consideration. Cindy Statz, a budget and policy analyst with UW Physical Plant, said any further action to clean the isolated offices will be determined by the new mold samples. She added it was too early to comment on building repair and cleaning costs. Nadasdy hopes the meeting will allow building residents and health officials to exchange concerns and get everyone on the same page. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in room 340, Ingraham Hall.