In recent days there have been numerous media reports about toxic mold that has shut down several dorms at NC Central University in Durham. It’s an awful story, but an underlying problem has been overshadowed by details of NCCU’s predicament. The real shame is that the General Assembly has drastically underfunded the state’s Renovation and Reserve Fund for the past three years. Instead, money has been poured into new and expanding programs while maintenance of some state buildings has been ignored. Two recent Carolina Journal stories provide the background.