Amnesty Day for Stolen Items
November 19, 2009 No CommentsRoxanne Fleischer
Co News Editor
The Office of College Activities will be holding four days of Amnesty in hopes of seeing stolen items returned.
From November 20 through November 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., any items stolen from the college can be returned to the information desk in the Decker College Center “no questions asked” according to Erica Immler, Operation Supervisor of College Activities.
Vandalism in Decker College Center has been “the worst I’ve seen it” said Immler, who has been working at McDaniel College for over three years. The damage this semester mostly consists of missing items, unlike previous years in which graffiti and writing on the walls was the trend.
During the summer, six brand new six-foot tables were purchased by College Activities to lend to student groups for events. Four of these tables have been stolen; the first one went missing over Labor Day weekend and the most recent disappeared on November 3. “Every Monday I come in and ask what’s missing,” Immler said.
Each of these tables cost the college 100 dollars to purchase plus shipping. But the tables are not the only items that are missing. Live plants and floral decorations from the bathrooms have been stolen in addition to bathroom signs that were ripped down and damaged soap dispensers.
“We try to have the building look nice and to provide equipment for the campus…it takes away from other students and is very frustrating,” said Immler.
“When the budget is tight, we don’t have the money to replace things,” she said. Over all, around 1000 dollars in damage has been done over this semester alone. “It’s frustrating for people who legitimately are trying to get an event together, and we have to tell them no because we don’t have the resources to lend them.”
The increase in vandalism has created a wariness of letting people borrow things. “We have to ask what kind of damage will we be left with,” said Immler.
The Amnesty Days have been set up in order reclaim stolen items so that College Activities can continue to lend and provide for student groups. If items are later found by Campus Safety or Residence Life, students will be fined accordingly
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