Bed Bugs Force Goucher Students to Move

Some students at Goucher College are dealing with a pesky problem. About one hundred students had to move out of their off-campus apartments in Towson because of a bed bug infestation. It's creating a big hassle for some students. It's moving day all over again for Senior Lisa Reiffen. She's moving out of her apartment and into a new one down the street. "I don't want to get bed bugs."

Bed bugs were found in three units at the Dulaney Valley Apartments in Towson where Goucher students have been living. The college is using the apartments as temporary housing this semester. Kristen Keener, director of media relations at Goucher says, "The idea was students were going to be moved into the Quarter, a condo project going up in downtown Towson. But because of unexpected delays, the students weren't able to move in at the beginning of the semester." So 94 students were placed in the off-campus apartments. But many of them are now moving out because of the bed bug infestation.

The first case of bed bugs was reported at the Dulaney Valley Apartments in July. Then more bed bugs were found in September. That's when students were given the option of moving out. Students have relocated to the Sheraton and nearby apartments. But the transition isn't easy for everyone. Reiffen says, "I had two 6 page papers due today. They're done. I turned them in and I didn't even go to class... I have to go move my furniture for my apartment." 

Some students are trying to make the most of it. Dan Amodeo says, "They're creating dorms out of hotel rooms which is kind of fantastic."    But housing students at a hotel for the rest of the semester is costing Goucher a ton of money, about $140,000 dollars.

Management for the Dulaney Valley Apartments issued this statement. "We instituted a new policy to have a pest control expert aggressively inspect every vacant apartment... And certify they are pest-free before we allow residents to move in."