Playboy enourages illegal activities

 First, I would like to say that I don’t want a repeat of Technician’s 2004 edition where you put the lay-outs of the finalist on the front page. That is offensive, demeaning, defacing and we all don’t need or want to see it. Second, Technician shouldn’t be advertising for Playboy. Playboy [thrives] on treating women like objects and degrading them by focusing on their bodies rather than them as individuals. By advertising, you are encouraging women’s involvement with Playboy. You are also encouraging their influences in sexual acts, including porn. Prostitution is engaging in sexual relations in rewards for money. By advertising, you are promoting prostitution as a labor, when it is paid sexual exploitation that is usually paid by rape. Core offenders of rape on campus are 4 to 6.5 percent. These kinds of assumptions, accusations and sexist ways are not what we need to associated with women, including those here at the University because this is an institution for higher learning and respect for all regardless of classification. I suggest that you bring your contributions to the Playboy visit to a minimum or better yet a complete halt. If it does not cease, I will encourage my friends and classmates from reading the Technician.

Deirdre Deane

freshman, FYC

{Editor’s note: the word length for this letter has been waived.}

University seeks best solutions

University Housing takes great pride its facilities and their upkeep.  Our staff works hard on a daily basis to ensure that we are providing students with a safe, comfortable, and community-focused environment.  We also recognize that damages to the facilities do occur, whether intentional or not.  From time to time, damages are intentional, and the charges for such a repair are incurred by the community.  Such is the case in Becton Hall.    

Charging an entire community is not an easy decision.  In this particular case, a number of factors came into play.  Some of these factors included the intentional nature of the damage, the possible cost of the damage done, the recent community agreement regarding FOB access and, most importantly, the determination that this was intentional vandalism.

Vandalism in an area encourages further damage, as well as a decreased sense of pride that goes along with living in a campus community. This has already been seen to be the case in Becton.  As mentioned in the article on March 18, students in the Quad did attempt to repair the damage done.  However, it is still clear that the stall dividers in the Becton bathroom have been damaged.  Since that attempted repair, additional phrases and wording have been carved into the stall dividers.  In order to return the bathroom to the condition it was in prior to this incident, the stall dividers need to be replaced.

When assessing damages, University Housing takes numerous steps.  Our standard practice has always been to find the lowest price for the best products possible.  That is again the case with this repair.  Students have not yet been charged and will not be charged until a final dollar amount has been received for this repair.  At times, products and materials are expensive.  As you may know from repairs at your own homes, the two drivers of cost are materials and work.  Since we do have a number of talented staff in all facilities trades we are at times able to look at costs incurred to students from a product cost perspective.  Students are only charged for the amount we are charged.  In this particular case, we are still attempting to bring down the cost of the product and will not stop until we have the lowest possible price for the quality that we desire.   As you can imagine, toilet dividers are considered a specialty item.  As such, we have limited options as to the replacement materials and vendors.  This customization also adds costs.

One of the pieces of this incident that was not highlighted in Technician was an emphasis on community responsibility. Students responsible were given the opportunity to step forward and take responsibility for the damage (and can come forward up until the point we actually charge students.)  Being a part of a community is about accountability as well as respect.  One of the community members (or their guest) did not have respect for the property of the entire community.  Individuals can choose to remain anonymous and let the entire community pay for the needed repairs, or they can step forward and take responsibility for their actions.  Students in the Quad have been asking for universal FOB access to enhance the community and make access to each other easier.  Now, the students of the Quad have the opportunity to stand together and take responsibility for their community and make a statement about what community means to them.  

FOB access or not, this is a community issue.  Intentional vandalism took place inside one of the strongest communities within University Housing.  I challenge the students of the Quad to talk with each other about this issue.  Someone within the community (or a guest of someone in the community) defaced property.  Community is a shared responsibility.  Let those individuals who created the problem know that you will not stand for that type of behavior in your community.

Lisa LaBarbera

Associate Director, East Campus