Posted by Danny Graugnard
Eggshells and yolk were found splattered all over the walls, floors, and staircase by the entrance of Wilmarth Hall Monday night. The incident was taken note around midnight and reported by a Campus Safety officer. What seems like a simple act of criminal mischief has become a growing concern for Campus Safety, facilities, as well as students, for this incident was certainly not the first time it has been reported.
In fact, there have been several reports of food being thrown against the walls and floors in the enclosed staircase by Starbuck Center. On March 20, for example, Campus Safety reported eggs had been thrown at the walls. There had been six incidents prior to that one, which makes a total of eight reports of food thrown in the area, usually occurring during the weekends. "It's very disgusting," says Lawrence Britt, Associate Director of Campus Safety. "The eggs damaged the walls of the room, which needed to be repaired and repainted. The food always leaves bad odor, [and] facilities always tries to clean the mess as much as they can."
Campus Safety is not the only group concerned; students seem to be wary of the vandalism in the staircase as well. One student, who possibly resides in Wilmarth, wrote a note addressing the issue and hung it in the stairwell, remarking that the act was "disgusting," and a violation of the trust within the student community. It further berates the perpetrator to stop vandalizing the staircase. The fact that Wilmarth's main entrance connects to the enclosed staircase and has a significant amount of foot traffic during the day indicates that the incident occurs late at night when the staircase is not occupied.
When asked how to find a possible solution to prevent further vandalism in the future, Britt said that security in the area would be increased. Campus Safety officers on duty will patrol the staircase more often, considering there are no security cameras in the room and a lack of constant surveillance. In the meantime, there does not appear to be any signs that the perpetrator(s) will desist the vandalism anytime soon, but Campus Safety hopes that with better security in the area, the vandalism will stop. Students are advised to be careful when moving through the area during the late night hours and encouraged to report any suspicious behavior.