Crumpled up di-cut letters and informational flyers littered the floors in Residence Hall One last week after someone ripped the material off resident assistant bulletin boards, committing an act of vandalism on the first day of classes.
Reports of damages to boards on the first, fourth and sixth floors were made on Tuesday, Aug. 27. According to RHO Director Kimberly Hardin, content on the bulletin boards was ripped off but the background paper was leftintact.
Resident assistants use these bulletin boards to communicate and keep residents informed.
“This is normally not typical for the first week of classes,” Hardin said. “However, the student population is different each year.”
An email was sent to RHO residents regarding the incident with information pulled directly from the housing guidebook policy for vandalism, which is presented to students upon move-in.
Guidelines set by the University Student Housing Guidebook for 2012-2013 state that “It is not acceptable to deface, damage, or destroy property, including but not limited to: furniture, walls, personal property, bulletin boards, lounge areas, bathroom facilities, and other areas.”
Past damages inflicted on RHO include holes in walls and furniture moved from common areas to bedrooms. Damages are assessed at the end of the semester and charges are made to the floor. If an individual is caught, consequences are addressed through the student code of conduct.
“Something similar happened during the summer as well and I just feel bad for all of the RAs who are putting in all of the work to be disrespected by certain students,” Amanda Tuttle, an RHO resident said. She posted her concerns on the USFSP Know-It-All’s Guide, the school’s somewhat official Facebook forum, on Tuesday.
“Vandalism in RHO????? Really, come on guys,” Tuttle wrote. “RAs put a lot of time and effort into those bulletin boards and the destruction of them is rude and disrespectful not to mention fully reflects the immaturity of certain residents. Grow up and show some respect.”
Security in the Residence Hall includes cameras located at each entrance of the building. The student services office operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Doors lock automatically and student residents may only access the building with key cards.Starting at 5 p.m., residence assistants patrol the hallways of each floor on segmented rounds throughout the night.
Students who witness vandalism should report it to a university staff member.
