K-State police log has been quiet for the last couple of weeks. I called Officer Troy Lane and he said he is trying to train somebody to take it over for him and he doesn't know when it will be issued again.
This service to the K-State community should not be allowed to lapse for long.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A word about Sam Brownback
I'd like to thank Sen. Sam Brownback for something he did about this time last year (has it been that long ago?) At the time, I had asked K-State for a review of residence hall security and they had agreed to do so, but I left an email in the Senator's Web site to make the case to him as well, since I am well aware he is a favorite son of K-State and Pat Bosco, et al.
I got a call the next morning from one of Sam's staffers in KC and I laid out the case for a review of residence hall security at K-State, and I pointed out that K-State's standards were not as tight as KU, and I also said I didn't think KSU was very accommodating as to our particular case.
The staffer said my complaint wasn't in their "jurisdiction" and said it sounded like I needed a lawyer. In the end, he agreed to pass on my concern to the Board of Regents.
After my conversation, I sent Sen. Brownback another email expressing my disappointment in the staffer's response.
A couple of days later, I got a letter written by Brownback himself, who said he made a personal call on behalf of my concerns to K-State. That he would take time to do that was most appreciated and won't be forgotten, no matter what else has transpired.
I got a call the next morning from one of Sam's staffers in KC and I laid out the case for a review of residence hall security at K-State, and I pointed out that K-State's standards were not as tight as KU, and I also said I didn't think KSU was very accommodating as to our particular case.
The staffer said my complaint wasn't in their "jurisdiction" and said it sounded like I needed a lawyer. In the end, he agreed to pass on my concern to the Board of Regents.
After my conversation, I sent Sen. Brownback another email expressing my disappointment in the staffer's response.
A couple of days later, I got a letter written by Brownback himself, who said he made a personal call on behalf of my concerns to K-State. That he would take time to do that was most appreciated and won't be forgotten, no matter what else has transpired.
Collegian Edit
Here is the Collegian edit on dorm security:
After the most deadly shooting in U.S. history Monday at the Virginia Tech campus, universities across the country are considering new security policies.One of the areas in which K-State is looking to improve security is its residence halls.Beginning next semester, students will need to show identification and register at the front desk when entering a residence hall after 9 p.m. In the past, students who lived in the halls could enter the building by scanning their K-State ID cards to unlock the door.The measures taken are necessary. Previously, any guest - or even random people - could follow residents into the building without any sort of security check.It is not a big inconvenience for students, whether they live in the hall or not, to provide proper identification when entering a place in which hundreds of college students live for much of the year. Many universities like KU already have adopted similar policies.In previous semesters, nearly anyone could enter the halls, one way or another. This is potentially harmful to students who do not lock their doors or are up late at night. Hopefully this measure, along with future considerations, will change this.Since thousands of students live in the halls, it would be nearly impossible to keep track of every single resident or guest in the hall. But a measure like the one K-State is instituting will help significantly. And while it might not repel all possible intruders, this will add some much-needed security.
TK: While many students see the announcement of dorm security measures as a response to Va. Tech tragedy, the wheels have been in motion for some time. One area I think K-State overlooks in its security upgrades is the use of cameras at the entrances and lobbies in the dorm. Those cameras could help protect residence hall staff as they enforce after hour security measures.
After the most deadly shooting in U.S. history Monday at the Virginia Tech campus, universities across the country are considering new security policies.One of the areas in which K-State is looking to improve security is its residence halls.Beginning next semester, students will need to show identification and register at the front desk when entering a residence hall after 9 p.m. In the past, students who lived in the halls could enter the building by scanning their K-State ID cards to unlock the door.The measures taken are necessary. Previously, any guest - or even random people - could follow residents into the building without any sort of security check.It is not a big inconvenience for students, whether they live in the hall or not, to provide proper identification when entering a place in which hundreds of college students live for much of the year. Many universities like KU already have adopted similar policies.In previous semesters, nearly anyone could enter the halls, one way or another. This is potentially harmful to students who do not lock their doors or are up late at night. Hopefully this measure, along with future considerations, will change this.Since thousands of students live in the halls, it would be nearly impossible to keep track of every single resident or guest in the hall. But a measure like the one K-State is instituting will help significantly. And while it might not repel all possible intruders, this will add some much-needed security.
TK: While many students see the announcement of dorm security measures as a response to Va. Tech tragedy, the wheels have been in motion for some time. One area I think K-State overlooks in its security upgrades is the use of cameras at the entrances and lobbies in the dorm. Those cameras could help protect residence hall staff as they enforce after hour security measures.
Monday, April 16, 2007
CU responds
CU responds to Virginia shooting
BOULDER (KWGN) — The University of Colorado at Boulder is responding in a number of ways to today's shooting at Virginia Tech including offering students counseling services, and a variety of community outreach efforts in residence halls.In addition, the campus will issue reminders on safety precautions."Our entire campus community is stunned by the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech," said Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "I want all our CU community, parents and families to know that we are monitoring this situation carefully and that we do not believe at this time that CU students are threatened in any way."Also, we have made counseling resources available on campus to those who might be affected by this horrendous crime. I believe this awful moment in the history of American higher education underscores the need for all of us to take strong measures to prevent violence in all aspects of American life. As that struggle continues, we send our thoughts and prayers to the members of the Virginia Tech campus community."Spokesman Bronson Hilliard said, "The campus is communicating with CU-Boulder students internally to provide them with information on counseling and other support services that are available."Students also are being sent reminders to observe basic security protocols including locking their doors, not allowing anyone they don't know into the residence halls and reporting anyone who acts suspiciously, Hilliard said.CU-Boulder is increasing the frequency and staffing of security patrols for campus housing facilities. Residence hall staff members are receiving information on how to discuss the tragedy with students and to update all hall residents on safety issues."We're going to provide community outreach services in our residence halls this evening, and we'll be continuing our outreach efforts as long as our students need assistance," said Deb Coffin, CU-Boulder's assistant vice chancellor for housing administration. "The university also will work to provide assistance and outreach to every student who can be identified as having a connection to the state of Virginia or to similar local and national tragedies."CU-Boulder students affected by the shooting and who wish to contact a campus counselor are encouraged to call or visit any of the following offices: Counseling and Psychological Services, 134 Willard Hall, (303) 492-6766; Office of Victim Assistance, 217 Willard Hall, (303) 492-8855; Center for Multicultural Affairs, 118 Willard Hall, (303) 492-5667; the Office of Psychological Health and Psychiatry at Wardenburg Health Center, (303) 492-5654; and the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program, 223 Willard Hall, (303) 492-2172.
BOULDER (KWGN) — The University of Colorado at Boulder is responding in a number of ways to today's shooting at Virginia Tech including offering students counseling services, and a variety of community outreach efforts in residence halls.In addition, the campus will issue reminders on safety precautions."Our entire campus community is stunned by the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech," said Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "I want all our CU community, parents and families to know that we are monitoring this situation carefully and that we do not believe at this time that CU students are threatened in any way."Also, we have made counseling resources available on campus to those who might be affected by this horrendous crime. I believe this awful moment in the history of American higher education underscores the need for all of us to take strong measures to prevent violence in all aspects of American life. As that struggle continues, we send our thoughts and prayers to the members of the Virginia Tech campus community."Spokesman Bronson Hilliard said, "The campus is communicating with CU-Boulder students internally to provide them with information on counseling and other support services that are available."Students also are being sent reminders to observe basic security protocols including locking their doors, not allowing anyone they don't know into the residence halls and reporting anyone who acts suspiciously, Hilliard said.CU-Boulder is increasing the frequency and staffing of security patrols for campus housing facilities. Residence hall staff members are receiving information on how to discuss the tragedy with students and to update all hall residents on safety issues."We're going to provide community outreach services in our residence halls this evening, and we'll be continuing our outreach efforts as long as our students need assistance," said Deb Coffin, CU-Boulder's assistant vice chancellor for housing administration. "The university also will work to provide assistance and outreach to every student who can be identified as having a connection to the state of Virginia or to similar local and national tragedies."CU-Boulder students affected by the shooting and who wish to contact a campus counselor are encouraged to call or visit any of the following offices: Counseling and Psychological Services, 134 Willard Hall, (303) 492-6766; Office of Victim Assistance, 217 Willard Hall, (303) 492-8855; Center for Multicultural Affairs, 118 Willard Hall, (303) 492-5667; the Office of Psychological Health and Psychiatry at Wardenburg Health Center, (303) 492-5654; and the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program, 223 Willard Hall, (303) 492-2172.
A tragedy in Blacksburg
From the AP:
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom building across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33.
Students bitterly complained that there were no public-address announcements on campus after the first burst of gunfire. Many said the first word they received from the university was an e-mail more than two hours into the rampage—around the time the gunman struck again.
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said authorities believed that the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.
"We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur," he said.
He defended the university's handling of the tragedy, saying: "We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it."
Investigators offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name was not immediately released, and it was not known if he was a student.
The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus. Witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive. A student used his cell-phone camera to record the sound of shots echoing through the stone classroom building.
The massacre took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said.
Two people were killed in a dormitory room, and 31 others were killed in the classroom building, including the gunman, police said.
"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," Steger said. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."
Steger emphasized that the university closed off the dorm after the first attack and decided to rely on e-mail and other electronic means to notify members of the university, but with 11,000 people driving onto campus first thing in the morning, it was difficult to get the word out. He said that before the e-mail went out, the university began telephoning resident advisers in the dorms to notify them and sent people to knock on doors to spread the word.
Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum would not say how many weapons the gunman carried. But a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was incomplete, said that the gunman had two pistols and multiple clips of ammunition.
Flinchum said that some doors in the classroom building had been chained shut from the inside.
Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building.
Some students bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time.
"What happened today, this was ridiculous," student Jason Piatt told CNN. "While they send out that e-mail, 20 more people got killed."
Students and Laura Wedin, a student programs manager at Virginia Tech, said the first notification they got of the shootings came in an e- mail at 9:26 a.m., more than two hours after the first shooting.
The e-mail had few details. It read: "A shooting incident occurred at West Amber Johnston earlier this morning. Police are on the scene and are investigating." The message warned students to be cautious and contact police about anything suspicious.
Student Maurice Hiller said he went to a 9 a.m. class two buildings away from the engineering building, and no warnings were coming over the outdoor public address system on campus at the time.
Everett Good, junior, said of the lack of warning: "I'm trying to figure that out. Someone's head is definitely going to roll over that."
"We were kept in the dark a lot about exactly what was going on," said Andrew Capers Thompson, a 22-year-old graduate student from Walhalla, S.C.
At least 26 people were being treated at three area hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries, authorities said. Their exact conditions were not disclosed, but at least one was sent to a trauma center and six were in surgery, authorities said.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom building across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33.
Students bitterly complained that there were no public-address announcements on campus after the first burst of gunfire. Many said the first word they received from the university was an e-mail more than two hours into the rampage—around the time the gunman struck again.
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said authorities believed that the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.
"We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur," he said.
He defended the university's handling of the tragedy, saying: "We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it."
Investigators offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name was not immediately released, and it was not known if he was a student.
The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus. Witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive. A student used his cell-phone camera to record the sound of shots echoing through the stone classroom building.
The massacre took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said.
Two people were killed in a dormitory room, and 31 others were killed in the classroom building, including the gunman, police said.
"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," Steger said. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."
Steger emphasized that the university closed off the dorm after the first attack and decided to rely on e-mail and other electronic means to notify members of the university, but with 11,000 people driving onto campus first thing in the morning, it was difficult to get the word out. He said that before the e-mail went out, the university began telephoning resident advisers in the dorms to notify them and sent people to knock on doors to spread the word.
Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum would not say how many weapons the gunman carried. But a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was incomplete, said that the gunman had two pistols and multiple clips of ammunition.
Flinchum said that some doors in the classroom building had been chained shut from the inside.
Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building.
Some students bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time.
"What happened today, this was ridiculous," student Jason Piatt told CNN. "While they send out that e-mail, 20 more people got killed."
Students and Laura Wedin, a student programs manager at Virginia Tech, said the first notification they got of the shootings came in an e- mail at 9:26 a.m., more than two hours after the first shooting.
The e-mail had few details. It read: "A shooting incident occurred at West Amber Johnston earlier this morning. Police are on the scene and are investigating." The message warned students to be cautious and contact police about anything suspicious.
Student Maurice Hiller said he went to a 9 a.m. class two buildings away from the engineering building, and no warnings were coming over the outdoor public address system on campus at the time.
Everett Good, junior, said of the lack of warning: "I'm trying to figure that out. Someone's head is definitely going to roll over that."
"We were kept in the dark a lot about exactly what was going on," said Andrew Capers Thompson, a 22-year-old graduate student from Walhalla, S.C.
At least 26 people were being treated at three area hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries, authorities said. Their exact conditions were not disclosed, but at least one was sent to a trauma center and six were in surgery, authorities said.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Taking umbrage
Kansas State University pays nearly $400,000 a year to its cabal of lawyers, I found out recently from Freedom of Information documents. It gives me umbrage to think K-State's administrators are beholden to their attorneys more than they are accountable to their students.
I have a complaint that K-State isn't being accountable in a case of negligence at one of its residence halls. I have asked for K-State to step up to the plate and assume responsibility by providing a fund for unpaid medical bills or for future treatment. Of course, this plea is falling on deaf ears.
Let's remember the University is not perfect. K-State's attorneys lost a lawsuit in 1993 relating to a lawsuit brought by a woman who was raped by one of K-State's student athletes in a residence hall.
I believe K-State's administrators probably listen too much to their lawyers advice and not enough to their own instincts.
If K-State would set aside just 5% to 10% a year of what they pay their lawyers to set up a fund for students who are injured or harmed on the University's watch in residence halls, perhaps KSU would have less need for lawyers to represent them in civil actions such as Nero v. KSU in 1993.
I have a complaint that K-State isn't being accountable in a case of negligence at one of its residence halls. I have asked for K-State to step up to the plate and assume responsibility by providing a fund for unpaid medical bills or for future treatment. Of course, this plea is falling on deaf ears.
Let's remember the University is not perfect. K-State's attorneys lost a lawsuit in 1993 relating to a lawsuit brought by a woman who was raped by one of K-State's student athletes in a residence hall.
I believe K-State's administrators probably listen too much to their lawyers advice and not enough to their own instincts.
If K-State would set aside just 5% to 10% a year of what they pay their lawyers to set up a fund for students who are injured or harmed on the University's watch in residence halls, perhaps KSU would have less need for lawyers to represent them in civil actions such as Nero v. KSU in 1993.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Invitation extended
This morning I talked with Derek Jackson of KSU and invited him to be a guest author for this blog. I reiterated by my disappointment in K-State's lack of accountability on residence hall security and asked him to consider my original request that K-State cover any unpaid medical bills related to the attack on someone in my family. I also said that my Freedom of Information Act request entailed far more than the University provided relating to the reports from the residence hall security committee.
Relating to the case I am so exorcised about, I asked him if he could provide an account of how the assailant got into Goodnow Hall. He could not because the report wasn't in front of him. I told him that stretches credulity to believe that. And that is all I have to say about that
Relating to the case I am so exorcised about, I asked him if he could provide an account of how the assailant got into Goodnow Hall. He could not because the report wasn't in front of him. I told him that stretches credulity to believe that. And that is all I have to say about that
Monday, April 9, 2007
Moving heaven and earth
I was struck by the words of KSU President Jon Wefald when he talked about his desire to do whatever it would take to keep Bob Huggins at K-State. As it turns out, we have a basketball coach and a recruiting class to be excited about after all.
But how much of that "whatever it takes" attitude is spent on matters that impact the lives of all students? Wefald is deservedly much-beloved, but does his focus on the Goldwaters, Trumans, Huggins and Beasleys cause him to lose sight of the everyday lives of students, including those impacted by campus crime?
But how much of that "whatever it takes" attitude is spent on matters that impact the lives of all students? Wefald is deservedly much-beloved, but does his focus on the Goldwaters, Trumans, Huggins and Beasleys cause him to lose sight of the everyday lives of students, including those impacted by campus crime?
Campus crime needs more light
How disappointing to receive only a two page letter when I requested the complete minutes and reports from the Residence Hall Security Review Committee of last summer. The Aug. 1 letter I was copied on from Derek Jackson to Chuck Werring listed seven bullet points. It was not as complete as the the letter that Heather Reed had sent before, which is published on this blog.
Here were the recommendations from the committee as they were presented to Chuck Werring:
Committee members( Derek Jackson, assistant dean of students, Skyler Harper, assistant director of housing and dining services for facility operations, Officer Dan Stubbings, KSU Police Department, Kipp Van Dyke, residence life coordinator, Ryan Spencer, ARH president, Shana Kaufman, resident assistant, Patrick Simpson, resident assistant.
Here is a quote about the committee from Jackson: "To gain an understanding of the safety and security issues we reviewed the campus crime statistics and FBI Benchmarking survey for the past three years and compared this information with our peer institutions and institutions around the country. Our finding in almost every area showed that K-State was a safer place than our peers based upon the crime report and FBI Benchmarking survey. "
Recommendations:
1. Develop a student security inventory card that will be used to collect serial numbers from high value personal items that often are stolen.
2. Exterior door access: restrict exterior wing door card access to allow only exiting only between the hours of 9 pm and 7 am. We recommend using the panic alarm system that will at the door at at the front desk when someone exists the wing door.
3. Main door access: We recommend that the main doors be locked at 9 pm and unlocked at 7 pm. We recommend that the doors be staffed to check IDS from 9 pm to 4 am Wednesday through Saturday, which we felt were the high traffic times. Between 9 pm and 7 am the card access system would be in place to restrict access from person who did not live in that building.
4. Student room door hardware: We recommend that door locks be placed with auto locks.
5. Guest registration: We recommend that all guests be registered at the front desks.
6. Security cameras: We did not recommend using security cameras as a means of increased security unless in specific areas where deemed necessary.
7. Safety and Security information: Information is available that will assist students and parents in understanding safety and security issues, but we feel student could be given more opportunities to learn about this information. We recommend creative ways to educate student and their parents on these issues.
TK: My reaction is that this two page summary is incomplete. K-State needs to open up all of its documents it used to craft these recommendations. In the spirit of point number seven, I will ask K-State to shed more light on this important issue. While K-State was "safer place than our peers," a member of my family was brutally beaten at Goodnow Hall. K-State has never apologized for its negligence in after hours security nor offered any tangible assistance to cover medical bills.
Here were the recommendations from the committee as they were presented to Chuck Werring:
Committee members( Derek Jackson, assistant dean of students, Skyler Harper, assistant director of housing and dining services for facility operations, Officer Dan Stubbings, KSU Police Department, Kipp Van Dyke, residence life coordinator, Ryan Spencer, ARH president, Shana Kaufman, resident assistant, Patrick Simpson, resident assistant.
Here is a quote about the committee from Jackson: "To gain an understanding of the safety and security issues we reviewed the campus crime statistics and FBI Benchmarking survey for the past three years and compared this information with our peer institutions and institutions around the country. Our finding in almost every area showed that K-State was a safer place than our peers based upon the crime report and FBI Benchmarking survey. "
Recommendations:
1. Develop a student security inventory card that will be used to collect serial numbers from high value personal items that often are stolen.
2. Exterior door access: restrict exterior wing door card access to allow only exiting only between the hours of 9 pm and 7 am. We recommend using the panic alarm system that will at the door at at the front desk when someone exists the wing door.
3. Main door access: We recommend that the main doors be locked at 9 pm and unlocked at 7 pm. We recommend that the doors be staffed to check IDS from 9 pm to 4 am Wednesday through Saturday, which we felt were the high traffic times. Between 9 pm and 7 am the card access system would be in place to restrict access from person who did not live in that building.
4. Student room door hardware: We recommend that door locks be placed with auto locks.
5. Guest registration: We recommend that all guests be registered at the front desks.
6. Security cameras: We did not recommend using security cameras as a means of increased security unless in specific areas where deemed necessary.
7. Safety and Security information: Information is available that will assist students and parents in understanding safety and security issues, but we feel student could be given more opportunities to learn about this information. We recommend creative ways to educate student and their parents on these issues.
TK: My reaction is that this two page summary is incomplete. K-State needs to open up all of its documents it used to craft these recommendations. In the spirit of point number seven, I will ask K-State to shed more light on this important issue. While K-State was "safer place than our peers," a member of my family was brutally beaten at Goodnow Hall. K-State has never apologized for its negligence in after hours security nor offered any tangible assistance to cover medical bills.
Not a ringing endorsement
From KU's Daily Kansan:
While I've givven props to KU's residence hall security system compared to K-State, their own student newspaper describes no safe haven here:
Another McCollum resident, Tariq Musa, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, freshman, said the ninth floor wasn’t as bad as others because women lived in two of the three wings.
“The furniture is upside-down all the time,” Musa said.
Musa said he expected to see that kind of behavior in residence halls because it could be boring otherwise.
Alsahli and Musa said that people have also usFred the elevators to urinate and defecate in.
Jennifer Wamelink, interim associate director for resident life for the Department of Student Housing, said major incidents like these are isolated.
“We don’t have a real repeated problem,” Wamelink said. “But everyone loses when students make the choice to damage property and then don’t come forward.”
She said the protocol for solving issues in the residence halls was to first try to find the culprit. If the guilty party doesn’t come forward, the Department of Student Housing has to absorb the cost of repairing or replacing the damage.
Wamelink said this would raise the department’s cost of maintenance, and thus, the cost of room and board for students.
GSP-Corbin Hall has become a problem area for students tampering with fire safety equipment. Wamelink said many fire extinguishers had been set off without anyone taking responsibility. Wamelink said any tampering of fire safety equipment could involve calling the police, and the department always replaced the equipment.
Eddy Tavio, Olathe freshman and McCollum resident, said damage in his hall was a constant problem, but someone always took care of it.
“Almost every weekend, it is trashed,” Tavio said. “Vomiting, ripping papers, but we don’t have to meet about it. Usually the RA’s take care of it, or the custodial staff.”
Vomiting in trash cans and stairwells is something Janelle Wehr, Olathe freshman, has seen in Ellsworth Hall as well. She said most recently there has been furniture shoved out windows and lost altogether.
Vince Avila, associate director of maintenance and custodial services, said he had dealt with misplaced bodily fluids this semester, and it was an uncomfortable problem for students and maintenance.
“When it’s something out of the ordinary, nobody likes cleaning it up,” Avila said. “You’d think at this age, people wouldn’t do that. It’s pretty ridiculous.”
Avila said every morning there was some type of vandalism in the residence halls that must be cleaned or fixed. He said about three pieces of furniture upholstery in common areas were cut up or destroyed each week.
Some of the furniture is so badly damaged that Avila said he thought students were picking up the furniture and throwing it against the walls.
Musa said the resident advisors tried to keep students from damaging property, or committing other offensive actions, but it seldom worked. He said he wouldn’t be living in the residence halls after this year.
“You have to go to the dorms to try it, but no more.” Musa said. “It sucks.”
While I've givven props to KU's residence hall security system compared to K-State, their own student newspaper describes no safe haven here:
Another McCollum resident, Tariq Musa, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, freshman, said the ninth floor wasn’t as bad as others because women lived in two of the three wings.
“The furniture is upside-down all the time,” Musa said.
Musa said he expected to see that kind of behavior in residence halls because it could be boring otherwise.
Alsahli and Musa said that people have also usFred the elevators to urinate and defecate in.
Jennifer Wamelink, interim associate director for resident life for the Department of Student Housing, said major incidents like these are isolated.
“We don’t have a real repeated problem,” Wamelink said. “But everyone loses when students make the choice to damage property and then don’t come forward.”
She said the protocol for solving issues in the residence halls was to first try to find the culprit. If the guilty party doesn’t come forward, the Department of Student Housing has to absorb the cost of repairing or replacing the damage.
Wamelink said this would raise the department’s cost of maintenance, and thus, the cost of room and board for students.
GSP-Corbin Hall has become a problem area for students tampering with fire safety equipment. Wamelink said many fire extinguishers had been set off without anyone taking responsibility. Wamelink said any tampering of fire safety equipment could involve calling the police, and the department always replaced the equipment.
Eddy Tavio, Olathe freshman and McCollum resident, said damage in his hall was a constant problem, but someone always took care of it.
“Almost every weekend, it is trashed,” Tavio said. “Vomiting, ripping papers, but we don’t have to meet about it. Usually the RA’s take care of it, or the custodial staff.”
Vomiting in trash cans and stairwells is something Janelle Wehr, Olathe freshman, has seen in Ellsworth Hall as well. She said most recently there has been furniture shoved out windows and lost altogether.
Vince Avila, associate director of maintenance and custodial services, said he had dealt with misplaced bodily fluids this semester, and it was an uncomfortable problem for students and maintenance.
“When it’s something out of the ordinary, nobody likes cleaning it up,” Avila said. “You’d think at this age, people wouldn’t do that. It’s pretty ridiculous.”
Avila said every morning there was some type of vandalism in the residence halls that must be cleaned or fixed. He said about three pieces of furniture upholstery in common areas were cut up or destroyed each week.
Some of the furniture is so badly damaged that Avila said he thought students were picking up the furniture and throwing it against the walls.
Musa said the resident advisors tried to keep students from damaging property, or committing other offensive actions, but it seldom worked. He said he wouldn’t be living in the residence halls after this year.
“You have to go to the dorms to try it, but no more.” Musa said. “It sucks.”
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Freedom of information
I asked the University for the meeting minutes and summary reports from K-State's Residence Hall Security Review Committee, which met last year and put forward recommendations that were approved (see beginning posts from this blog).
I haven't heard from KSU if they will provide those reports. I don't know what justification they would use not to release the documents.
I haven't heard from KSU if they will provide those reports. I don't know what justification they would use not to release the documents.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Stranger than fiction
Did you see the story in the news alert on the right side of this blog that KU is talking up their reduced crime statistics over the past few years? There is no mention in the WIBW report about crimes in residence halls or on campus per se. Where is a similar release from K-State?
The K-State police log from over the weekend as 9 pages, mostly incidental stuff. A traffic stop here, a water leak there, security alarm and elevator calls. Not all the entries were routine, though.
This was from March 31, not April Fool's Day.
CUSTODIAL CREW CALLED FROM SEATON HALL SAYING THERE WAS A WILD TURKEY THAT WAS RUNNING AROUND THE BUILDING
This police log entry highlighted below certainly relates to campus security issues, particularly residence hall security. The time is overdue for K-State to implement the new residence hall security plan. Could it have been done at semester instead of 2007-08?
OFFICER #156 GOT OUT ON CAMPUS CREEK ROAD TO CLARIFY ANYTHING THAT WAS HAZY TO MR. XXXX ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS CRIMINAL TRESSPASSING WARNINGS FOR THE DORMS. HE WAS ADVISED AGIAN THAT HE IS STILL BANNED FROM THE DORM AND WILL BE ARRESTED ON SIGHT IF CAUGHT AT THE DORMS OR AT ANY OF THE FOOD COURTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DORMS OFFICER #148 WAS PRESENT URING THE TIME THAT HE WAS REMINDED OF HIS CRIMINAL TRESSPASS WARNING.
The K-State police log from over the weekend as 9 pages, mostly incidental stuff. A traffic stop here, a water leak there, security alarm and elevator calls. Not all the entries were routine, though.
This was from March 31, not April Fool's Day.
CUSTODIAL CREW CALLED FROM SEATON HALL SAYING THERE WAS A WILD TURKEY THAT WAS RUNNING AROUND THE BUILDING
Another incident, recalling the movie Dude, where is your car?
RILEY COUNTY CALLED AND WANTED ON OFFICER TO GO TO xxx MARLATT HALL TO TRY AND MAKE CONTACT W XXXX AND ASK HIM IF HE KNOWS WHERE HIS CAR IS,
WHO WOULD HAVE HIS K-STATE I.D., DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND STEREO.151 MADE CONTACT W/ XXX ROOMATE AND THE ROOMATE TRIED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH XXXX, BUT WAS UNABLE TO. 151 ADVISED THAT THE ROOMATE GAVE HIM A NAME OF WHO XXX MIGHT BE STAYING W/, AND XXX PHONE NUMBER. RCPD MADE CONTACT WITH XXXX AND WAS GOING TO XXX ADDRESS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH XXX. THEY ALSO LOCATED XXX CAR AND THE STEREO WAS MISSING OUT OF IT.
WHO WOULD HAVE HIS K-STATE I.D., DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND STEREO.151 MADE CONTACT W/ XXX ROOMATE AND THE ROOMATE TRIED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH XXXX, BUT WAS UNABLE TO. 151 ADVISED THAT THE ROOMATE GAVE HIM A NAME OF WHO XXX MIGHT BE STAYING W/, AND XXX PHONE NUMBER. RCPD MADE CONTACT WITH XXXX AND WAS GOING TO XXX ADDRESS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH XXX. THEY ALSO LOCATED XXX CAR AND THE STEREO WAS MISSING OUT OF IT.
This police log entry highlighted below certainly relates to campus security issues, particularly residence hall security. The time is overdue for K-State to implement the new residence hall security plan. Could it have been done at semester instead of 2007-08?
OFFICER #156 GOT OUT ON CAMPUS CREEK ROAD TO CLARIFY ANYTHING THAT WAS HAZY TO MR. XXXX ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS CRIMINAL TRESSPASSING WARNINGS FOR THE DORMS. HE WAS ADVISED AGIAN THAT HE IS STILL BANNED FROM THE DORM AND WILL BE ARRESTED ON SIGHT IF CAUGHT AT THE DORMS OR AT ANY OF THE FOOD COURTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DORMS OFFICER #148 WAS PRESENT URING THE TIME THAT HE WAS REMINDED OF HIS CRIMINAL TRESSPASS WARNING.
Apparently not
Troy Lane just sent the complete pdf of the police log. Thanks for the quick response.
Change in policy?
I see that K-State police log daily email today included only a brief summary of a few incidents. I hope that the complete police log continues to be available to interested parties. If not, I wonder what is the reason for the change?
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