Leaks in the asbestos-laden ceiling on the fourth floor of the University Health Services building are causing concern among students and staff who use the area.

“As the rain comes down through the roof and passes through the ceiling, there is the potential asbestos will show up in the water collected by buckets,” said Dana Mills, assistant director for Health Services administration.

The asbestos does not constitute a health hazard unless it dries and becomes airborne, Mills said.

Asbestos is a group of unrelated minerals that form microscopic fibers. These fibers can lodge in a person’s lungs and cause cancer.

Conrad Miller, physical plant project manager, said, “If handled properly in the method of repair, it will not cause a threat to occupants.”

Linn Sorge, Services for Handicapped Students co-coordinator, said, “We have 19 buckets currently in the hall and (rain is) dripping on the floor. I have real concerns about the safety of our students.”

About 30 handicapped students access the fourth floor of the health center daily to take individualized tests, receive instruction or use specially-designed Braille books and other materials, Sorge said.

When the ceiling leaks, handicapped students face special concerns as they maneuver on a slippery floor around the assortment of containers collecting rain.

NIU student Bitrus Gwamna, who is blind, used the handicapped services Wednesday to take a comprehensive examination required to complete his master’s degree in journalism.

“The only problem I faced was to remember there were buckets,” Gwamna said. “I had to keep well away from them.”

Sorge said students in wheelchairs cannot access the area without water dripping onto them unless containers are moved.

The leaky ceiling poses a problem for storing equipment, Sorge said.

“We keep everything covered with plastic,” said Sue Reinhardt, Services for Handicapped Students co-coordinator. “We cover computers, Braille books, Braille paper and enlargement equipment.

“The problem is everytime we get new leaks, we don’t know where they’re going to occur,” Reinhardt said.

Industrial hygienists tested the health center (and found asbestos), Miller said. Asbestos was used in construction of many buildings until the 1970s.

Some leaky sections of the roof at the health center have been patched, Miller said. Until a decision is made concerning whether to remove or cover the asbestos, NIU administrators have been reluctant to repair the roof, which would cost more than $100,000, he said.

“The rainy season has arrived and the problem (of leaking) will not go away overnight,” Miller said.

Leakage in roofs is a problem throughout the campus, Miller said. Buildings that were constructed in the 1960s, when flat roofs were fashionable, now leak, he said. Some older buildings, such as McMurry Hall, also have sustained ceiling damage from leaks.