Eleven students at Lipscomb University in Nashville have filed a $14.5 million lawsuit against the school, alleging that black mold and other unsafe conditions in three women's residence halls, Elam Hall, Fanning Hall, and Johnson Hall, made them chronically ill, according to coverage by WSMV, NewsChannel 5, and WKRN.
The complaint describes fatigue, headaches, respiratory symptoms, and cognitive impairment that interfered with the plaintiffs' ability to attend class, study, sleep, and function. The lawsuit further alleges that humidity in the rooms became severe enough that belongings warped and walls would not hold decorations, and that in April 2023 mushrooms were reportedly growing inside a windowsill in one dorm room.
The complaint also alleges that Lipscomb did not adopt campus-wide mold prevention and remediation protocols until November 5, 2025. The university has disputed the claims, saying it 'takes these allegations seriously' but believes the case is overstated and that it follows mold protocols consistent with EPA guidance.