Recently, theft has been reported in multiple areas on campus, including in the School Store and Snack Bar. Administrators and security staff are responding by implementing new measures to address the issue.
“Theft is one of the things that erodes trust and destroys morale the quickest,” said Mr. Andrew D’Ambrosio, dean of student life. “Academic dishonesty and similar problems hurt individual students, but they don’t tear down the community as much as theft does.”
Ms. Kerry Kuhn, store manager, reported that most of the stolen items were food, beverages, and health and beauty products. She said, “We enjoy interacting with the students, and we hate that the problem has gotten to the point where it’s affected how the store is run.”
In response to the thefts, the store has implemented a “no bags in the store” policy. It also plans to install cameras. Mr. Luis Garcia, head of security, said, “There’s going to be more routine patrols of the theft-heavy locations. When we are in the Main Building, we are going to focus on the areas where theft is occurring.”
Emily Cho-Sayegh ’26 said, “I believe people want to feel the thrill of stealing, or they’re too lazy to wait in line. Also, seeing others steal encourages bystanders to think this behavior is okay, and that they can get away with it if they try to do it themselves.”
Considering the impact of theft on the community, Ms. Kuhn said, “I think students look at the individual item and not the bigger picture. The revenue of the store, the number of employees here, and their willingness to run to the back and grab books for students—all these things are affected by theft.”
Mr. D’Ambrosio said, “There are only six deans, 100 full-time faculty, and 611 students. So, unless students want to take a stand against this, unless people start calling others out, I’m not certain how we curtail it. Because ultimately, it won’t help anyone’s emotional state if people are living in fear of the rules.”
