THE
Greensboro, N.C.
Volume 92, Issue 5
www.guilfordian.com
September 30, 2005
Bookbag theft creates frustratien fer students, security
Rob Bittner
Staff Writer
During the past two weeks
over eight book bags have been
stolen from the cafeteria.
However, after a few days these
book bags appear back in the
same spot they were stolen from,
but with most of the belongings
missing.
Most students go to the cafete
ria before or after class so they
have their bags with them. Instead
of hauling their book bag through
the cafeteria, they choose to leave
their bags next to the entrance.
The people who are taking
these bags are only interested in
the materials inside them, not the
bags themselves. The properties
stolen so far have been textbooks,
notebooks, and a laptop.
Sophomore Allison Hamilton
is one of the students who had
their book bags stolen. On Sept. 12
her bag was stolen from the cafe
teria during lundh. She had all of
her textbooks stolen as well as her
laptop. She found her bag a week
later, lying in the same spot she
put it in the week before.
However, this time only her note-
^■1
books were remaining.
"It feels like Guilford is going
downhill because of these crimes
fliat are being committed. I also
believe that the administrators are
not being as helpful as they could
be with these recent thefts," said
Hamilton.
Sophomore Troy Smith was
Record enrollment affects compnter nsage
Brittany Bumgarner
Staff Writer
From fall '00 to fall '05,
Guilford's enrollment has
increased 115 percent. Guilford is
growing faster than any other col
lege or university in North
Carolina.
But many people are con
cerned that the number of com
puters available for student use
has not kept up with the increased
demand.
This semester, Guilford's stu
dent body totals 2,692 students. In
contrast, the total number of pub
lic computers is 366. That is
approximately seven students per
computer.
For students, sharing so few
computers with so many students
is frustrating.
"I live in Bryan so I do most of
my work in Bauman," said senior
Sarah Curry. "It is really hard to
find an open computer, especially
at lunch and in the evenings
because that is when everyone
else tries to use them too:"
Leah Kraus, Director of
Information Technology and
Services, thinks that the ratio of
students per computer is usually
sufficient.
"There are two thoughts on
providing services," said Kraus.
"One is for the average time need
ed on the computers, and one is
for the peak. At exam time usage
peaks, and there are not enou^
computers for everyone that
needs them. But on average, I
think that what we have is suffi
cient."
The primary location students
go to use computers is Bauman
Telecommunications Center.
Bauman contains two computer
labs and a computer classroom
used for group projects, which
have a total of 156 computers
available for student use.
Although Bauman contains the
most computers, students still
have difficulty finding one when
they need it.
"I was in Bairman the other day
and I got the last available com-
puter in the lab," said first-year
also a victim. His bag was stolen
from the cafeteria on Sept-16. All
of his new textbooks and one used
textbook were stolen. It was obvi
ous to Smith that the thief ruffled
through his bag, attempting to
steal whatever was worth any
value. One of the cafeteria work
ers found hjs bag later that night
in the women's bathroom next to
the cafeteria, along with three
other bags.
"It is pathetic that someone
would steal a book bag. Last year
I felt comfortable enough to leave
something lying around because I
knew that if I left it, someone
wouldhave turned it in to lost and
found," said Smith.
The cafeteria workers at the
front desk are in perfect sight of
the bags. However, it is almost
impossible for them to determine
which book bag belongs to a cer
tain student. People working at
the front table swiping cards
could notice students going into
the bathrooms with book bags on,
but they could not determine if it
is that person's bag of someone
else's they stole it from.
"It is ridiculous that students
would steal other student's books.
The people stealing these things
should put themselves in the
other person's position and see
how they feel getting something
stolen from them," said cafeteria
Supervisor Senida Kiiljuh.
Public safety believes that it is
a fifty-fifty chance of whether this
is a student committing these
crimes or someone else. Similar
thefts took place on Guilford's
campus two years ago. People
were coming onto the campuses
of Guilford, Elon, and UNCG and
stealing book bags. They walked
around these campuses with
Continued on page 3
This first-floor Bauman computer lab is packed at peak times Continued on page 3
Mold found in Bryan, concera raisod
Beth Bass
Staff Writer
Mold has been growing in some
Bryan hall residents' air condition
ers. Many of the students are con
cerned that the mold may be cre
ating health problems, but
Facilities says it's not likely.
Sophomore and Bryan hall resi
dent Daniel Lovatt had suspicions
about the mold's health risks: "All
of us got sick at the same time. All
of us were coughing at the same
time.
A lot of Bryan was coughing at
the same time, and there was
nasty stuff coming out of the air
conditioner."
Director of Student Health
Helen Rice said more people from
Bryan had been complaining of
mold.
Students with asthma and aller
gies are the ones most likely to
have problems from it.
She also said that because it is
ragweed season, many people
who think they may be suffering ,
from mold may just be having
problems with other allergies.
"I don't think it's a terribly seri
ous problem on campus. It doesn't
Possible cause of illness in Bryan
seem to be widespread," Rice said.
Several suites complained of a
greenish, blackish mold that can
be seen on the outside of the air
conditioning vents on some of the
units in Bryan hall. At first there
were worries that the mold could
spread between suites, but
Facilities officials doubt the likli-
Continued on page 3