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Recent thefts, elevator closure turn spotlight again on misbehavior
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 9:54pm
URBANA — Those who were sitting in the lounge on Thursday during lunch probably heard when Assistant Director Sue Kovacs stuck her head in and yelled: “Anyone with a free period during third or fourth will be interviewed by the police. Money has been taken from students' lockers for the second time.”
Approximately twenty dollars was taken from the first locker while nearly fifty was stolen from the other.
As it turns out, the police won’t be brought into this case, but that is because the two students whose money was stolen didn’t want to run the risk of possibly implicating their friends.
“I would’ve called the cops, had them come over and talk to the girls [whose money was stolen], and gone from there,” said Kovacs. “We would’ve filed a report, and we would’ve had some steps that could be taken by the police in solving this problem.”
These recent thefts aren’t the only examples of misbehavior that has plagued Uni this year.
In mid-September, students were banned from the Siebel Center for three weeks because of rowdy and disruptive behavior.
Then on Nov. 7, Kovacs sent a schoolwide e-mail informing students and faculty that the elevator would be closed for two weeks due to misconduct.
According to Kovacs, a faculty member had sent an e-mail earlier that week complaining about students:
- running from at least halfway down the hallway and jostling and running into other students on their way to the elevator;
- running and then jumping into the elevator;
- yelling for the elevator to be held as they are running down the hallway;
- riding the elevator when they only need to travel up or down one floor;
- crowding the elevator with more than 10 people.
Students who are caught riding the elevator during the closure without an excuse will be suspended for the rest of the day. Additionally, if students who do have an excuse and allow other students to ride the elevator with them, both will be suspended for a day.
This is the second time this year that the elevator has had to be closed due to disrespectful student behavior. If the elevator has to be closed again, according to Kovacs, it will remain closed for the rest of the year, except to injured students, parents, and faculty.
This would be disappointing to Kovacs, who fought for student access to the elevator when she arrived at Uni earlier this decade.
“When I first came here seven years ago [the elevator] was locked shut,” said Kovacs. “No students would ever set their feet in that elevator, and I said: ‘This is crazy. If they can behave and use it like ladies and gentlemen and follow the rules, then why are we going to the inconvenience of locking the elevator?’
"So we went through SFAC and I went to the faculty and I said, 'Can we try it on a probation time?' and that sort of thing, and it worked. And so the next year it was open, and every time there was any problem we’d get grumbling from the staff that they can’t handle it, and so I’m forced. That’s my rule: Three strikes and it’s out.”
Comments
However:
I think at least some of this is overreacting. People get jostled in the hallways every day... it's a madhouse out there. Compared to lunch, people running to catch the elevator is nothing at all. And asking for people to hold it for a few more seconds is just asking for a favor, and as long as it doesn't get out of hand, holding it open is common courtesy.
And I also disagree with the 10 people rule. I understand it if there are faculty members on the elevator, then keeping that space is respectful and expected. However, if it's all students, I have never seen a problem with having more than 10 people per ride.
That's True
Yeah, I think the situation overall is being blow out-of-proportion. It is true that going over the weight limit can potentially dangerous, but there's nothing wrong with asking someone to hold open the elevator door for a second if it's not already full. Also, the activities going on in the hallways aren't as bad as was being implied. During passing periods it's obvious that the hallways and staircases are going to be crowded and of course there's going to be some bumping and jostling and such but it's really nothing major.
I must say that I don't
I must say that I don't understand the 10 people rule. Kovacs sent out an email with a story about an elevator that got stuck because it was over the weight limit. The sign posted inside of the elevator (the metal one with bolts, not paper with scotch tape) says 16 people or 2400 or 2500 pounds, can't remember which. I seriously doubt that uni students are averaging 250 pounds.....
News like this not only
News like this not only makes it difficult to hire a new director but also makes the students look less attractive to recruiters and the school less enticing to new applicants.
Wow
Anybody who would be scared off by a story like this shouldn't be a professional educator, much less the leader of a school.
You gotta be kidding me.
I agree
If I were looking for the top job at a first-rate school, I would immediately cross off the list any institution that limited its students to publishing only happy news PR rubbish. What kind of laboratory for young minds is that?
However, the point stands.
However, the point stands. Censoring bad news is bad. Not having bad news is good.
Also, as a student, I really have no interest in the search for a new principal. Sorry. Students from other schools generally hate us for being so nerdy anyway, a little press coverage of our discipline issues could only be a good thing. ( I could cope with the preppy image being bent a little. Really I could.)
First, while theft does
First, while theft does happen at Uni, it is far less prevalent than at virtually any other high school. When major theft occurs, everybody knows about it because Uni is a small community. What's unclear, however, is the source of the theft. Uni has a three unlocked entrance in three directions and it would be fairly easy for an outsider to come in and nab something quickly from a lockers... which are almost always unlocked. It will be interesting to see the occurrence of theft when the prox card system is implemented.
Second, high school students are known to be rambunctious and rowdy. While perhaps a certain level of behavior maturity can be expected, it's really not fair to expect to us to be calm and composed all the time. With regard to things like the elevator and other "behavioral problems" at Uni, I feel adults can be a bit peevish and impatient.
We really have to stop
We really have to stop trying to deflect responsibility about these things. Given that most people do not leave their money unattended in plain sight, a thief would either have to rummage through the belongings of a victim or already know where the money is hidden. With regards to the former, there is almost always someone in the hallways, and a stranger rummaging through lockers would not go unnoticed. The simplest explanation in both cases is that a Uni student is responsible.
Second, while we cannot be expected to be mature all the time, it is perfectly reasonable to expect maturity of us when we are interacting with teachers, using school property, or using other campus buildings. Remember, using the elevator and going off campus are privilege, not a right. If we are disrespectful, the adults punishing us are not being "peevish", they are responding to our lack of regard for the rules. Yes, they may be stupid and arbitrary, but believing they do not apply you is not the correct way to protest them.
Who is "we?"
Who is "we?"
With regard to your first point about theft, there are many people from outside Uni that are in the building before school, during school, and after school. I wasn't trying to deflect responsibility for the thefts, I was just pointing out that it's very much within the realm of possibility that the theft was due to an outsider. Again, I'm not naive enough to think that theft doesn't happen at Uni, but most of the "theft" at Uni is in the form of borrowed books, calculators, batteries, food, and with the exception of the last item, they're almost always returned. The fact that most Uni students keep their lockers unlocked, if not wide-open, all the time is an indicator that theft is not really a concern for most students.
Punishment isn't the attitude, it's the reaction. Peevish means easily irritated, especially by unimportant things. Uni students do the right thing most of the time. It's a rare occasion when a student intentionally and knowingly disrespects faculty or Uni property. When people ask someone to hold the elevator, they're not thinking, "Oh, I wonder how I could possibly annoy this teacher today," and when they're sitting on a table at lunch, they're not thinking, "I bet this would be a great way to destroy property!" My point is, when faculty at Uni complain about student behavior, I think they take for granted that Uni students are generally above par behaviorally. And when we aren't the perfect model of obedience, they forget that we're teens with underdeveloped prefrontal lobes, as well as humans with good days and bad days.
Just to clarify, I'm not trying to transfer the blame to "the teachers" as a nebulous concept or group. They do the right thing most of the time. Teachers are human; they have bad days just like we students have bad days. I just think that a little more patience and understanding in these situations would go a long way. The difference between students and teachers is that when teachers get impatient, they can take it out on the students in the form of punishment. Is the elevator really the problem, or just a symptom?
Why is the elevator such a big deal?
Does it really take that much energy to climb one or two flights of stairs? Are they not working us hard enough in fitness class? Or does everyone overwork themselves on the Hamtractor, making it impossible to climb the stairs?
I understand people are often tired, given the lack of sleep that most of us are getting. But I doubt people are so tired that climbing the stairs is like a climb up Mount Everest. If you're injured, you can still take the elevator, obviously. So why do most people even take the elevator in the first place?
I'm not saying the elevator should be shut down -- in fact, I don't think it needs to be -- I'm saying that Uni people don't need to rely on it. The ride isn't that enjoyable, is it?
As for the stolen money, I don't have much to add. There's no (plausible) way to justify stealing money.
I agree wholeheartedly with
I agree wholeheartedly with this comment. There's a difference between going from the first to the fourth floor right after fitness and going from the first to the second because you're too lazy to walk up twenty stairs. Or people going _down_ a single floor! Come on, seriously?
well in that case teachers
well in that case teachers shouldn't use the elevator either!!
I agree. If it's closed for
I agree. If it's closed for anyone, it should be closed for everyone. Teachers can walk up and down stairs too.
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