Evergreen College to spend up to $1M for costs related to student’s carbon monoxide death

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Evergreen State College will be dipping into its reserve fund to cover expenses related to a carbon monoxide poisoning death of a student on campus last year.

Jonathan Rodriguez, 21, was found dead in campus housing in December.

Two other students were hospitalized.

The college’s board of trustees voted on Monday to spend up to $1 million.

The money will cover the cost of the Washington State Patrol investigation into Rodriguez’ death, repairs to student housing, and moving students into temporary housing, The Olympian reported.

The housing where Rodriguez lived was heated by propane. Since the death, all students have been moved out of propane-heated housing.

Some students have raised questions about maintenance on campus, saying they’ve been concerned for some time about the condition of the buildings.

Evergreen President John Carmichael told The Olympian there is a huge backlog of needed repairs.

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