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Seven students and their families have filed a lawsuit seeking more than $20 million in damages from the University of the South on the grounds that they were harmed by a toxic mold problem at Johnson Hall and the administration mishandled what the plaintiffs deemed as a crisis.

The 53-page lawsuit was filed in Franklin County Circuit Court Tuesday.

The university released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

“The university will closely review the claims made in this filing. While the university does not comment on the details of ongoing legal issues, we are confident the facts in this matter demonstrate our deep commitment to the well-being of our students, including ensuring the health and safety of our residence halls.”

Students listed as plaintiffs include Elizabeth “Liza” Bandy, Lily Bowers, Jenna Ballard, Hannah Crawley, Hollyn Fox, Abigail “Abby” Lee and Cassandra “Cassie” Nicotera. They were enrolled at the university in 2024.

Their family members listed as plaintiffs include James Bandy, Melanee Bandy, Kyle Bowers, Jill Bowers, John Ballard, Brandy Ballard, Kent Crawley, Rachel Crawley, Cassandra Nicotera, Janet Nicotera, Frederick Nicotera, Chris Fox, Kellie Fox, Randy Lee and Jennifer Lee.

The lawsuit says that the parents paid $75,000 per year for tuition, room and board, and “they have the right to expect the university will provide safe and habitable housing.”

The lawsuit says that Sewanee had neglected its dorms to the point that they became “a running joke among students.” It says that the university continued to place freshmen into Johnson Hall — “a dorm long known for its infestation with toxic mold, causing life-changing illness to many of the students entrusted in their care.”

The lawsuit says that students had been evacuated due to mold covering their walls and belongings.

“Instead of fixing the problem, Sewanee ignored the mold, permanently closed and locked a third-floor room infested with toxic mold, made no repairs, and in August 2024, filled the dorm again with new freshmen girls,” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit says that although students reported the problem, by September 2024, Johnson Hall was filled with sick students.

“Freshmen who had come to Sewanee to learn and grow were too ill for class, missing practices and collapsing into bed after attending even one class,” the lawsuit says, adding: “When parents asked questions, the administration claimed the students were at fault — that they had left windows open in the rain or needed to clean their rooms more.”

The lawsuit says that in October 2024, mold inspectors deemed that Johnson Hall was “full of dangerous, toxic mold.”

The lawsuit says that the university ordered an immediate evacuation.

“But even then, Sewanee mishandled the crisis, forcing students to pack while industrial fans in doorways were placed in the most contaminated rooms, blowing inward and spreading mold through the halls and into the air,” the lawsuit says. The lawsuit says that families described breathing the moldy air during move-out day as “breathing in a powdered donut.” It adds that several students, previously unharmed, started to complain of illness and fatigue.

“By the time students were relocated, their health was already affected, their belongings contaminated and their trust shattered,” the lawsuit says.

Damages listed by the plaintiffs include:

• Past and future physical pain, suffering and mental anguish.

• Past and future physical impairment.

• Past and future loss of employment and quality of life.

• Past and future medical expenses.

• Past and future care expenses.

• Lost wages.

• Future lost wages.

• Inconvenience.

• Moving expenses.

• Room and board costs for an uninhabitable dormitory room and/or alternative living expenses.

• Money expended to ascertain the extent of mold growth in the dorm.

• Loss of personal property due to microbial contamination.