The Observer, April 18, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 25
Recent Village vandalism concerns some
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Case students generally don't find much graffiti on campus with the exception of the spirit wall outside of Thwing. However, graffiti has recently been found on the walls of the North Residential buildings, and several people in the Case community are looking for something to be done about it.
Although several buildings were vandalized including some of the Village at 115's houses, the adjacent American Heart Association building, and various freshman dorms, the incidents went unreported.
The attacks of vandalism, which were caught on security camera, occurred early morning Saturday, April 5, between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Rudy Braydich, upper-class coordinator, is upset that no one reported the acts. He has trouble believing that no one witnessed them, particularly because of the time period in which they occurred.
The vandalism, some of which read, "F*** Case," was shocking to Braydich. Vandalism is rare on campus, he says, so much so that seeing this much of it and then having a relatively quiet reaction from students was surprising to him.
Braydich wishes that more students would get involved and be willing to take a more active role caring for the areas in which the live, and encourages students to voice their oppinions at the Upper Class Community Council meeting on Tuesday evenings, usually in House 4 at 9:30 p.m.
Brian Hurd, the associate director of Protective Services, noted the recent graffiti has extended beyond the campus. Protective Services has found graffiti on both the CIA and CIM campuses and on the VA hospital.
When investigating the graffiti and determining how much of it is from a single source, police look at what has been written, whether spray paint was used or brushed on, if a stencil was used, and so forth.
In addition to analyzing the graffiti, security reviews footage in hopes of recognizing the vandals. As of now, they are unsure of who is responsible for the recent vandalism.
Protective Services echoed Braydich's desire for students to stay aware of the suspicious activity and report it.
"Students are our eyes and ears out there, so maybe somebody saw something. If you see something suspicious, just give us a call," urges Hurd. Braydich is aware that students may be reluctant, especially if the person responsible is a fellow student or friend. Yet, since the campus is essentially home to many undergraduate students, its residents should also be willing to report any damage to it.
Some students may not think the graffiti is a big deal, but others are offended. Alex Gill, a third-year biochemistry major, said, "It seems such a shame that even at this age, people can act so disrespectful to other peoples' property. Even if the vandal wasn't a Case student, it seems likely that someone saw or knows something, and to not report it is almost as bad."
