THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2005
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3A
Students posing as security guards
Emily Soener and three other female students were in a 10th floor room in McCollum Hall late Saturday evening when two students dressed as KU Public Safety Office security monitors knocked on the open door and asked permission to enter.
BY STEVE LYNN
slynn@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
"We asked what the complaint was," said Soener, Omaha, Neb., freshman. "They said something about marijuana and somebody said they could come in."
A Public Safety Office report said that Matthew S. Meyer, Camarillo, Calif., freshman, and Seth Breeding, Marysville freshman, knocked on several doors and entered after residents gave them permission.
Meyer worked as a security monitor for the KU Public Safety Office but was not on duty Saturday. Meyer let Breeding, his roommate at McCollum,
E"
borrow a uniform shirt from his wardrobe. Mever said.
The uniform gives them some sense of authority. I will be a little more reluctant to believe them right off the bat, which is too bad."
said. Meyer attached his laminated security ID to his shirt and Breeding used Meyer's hat for the "effect," Breeding said.
"People were falling for it," Breeding said. "They actually believed we were security."
NEWS
A resident assistant called KU Public Safety, which did not cite the students because they didn't break any law, Capt. Schuyler Bailey of the Public Safety Office said.
Soener said the episode didn't decrease her trust in KU security, but that it upset her.
Meyer said he was fired because of the exploit.
The office exhausted all avenues to make sure the students didn't break any laws, Bailey said. He said that, unfortunately, a person could knock on someone's door and lie.
Breeding, Marysley freshman, said he and Meyer knocked on doors on the ninth and 10th floors looking for their friend's missing laptop, which they never found.
"The uniform gives them some sense of authority." Soener said. "I will be a little more reluctant to believe them right off the bat, which is too bad."
Both men said they wouldn't do it again. Meyer, who worked security at
Emily Soener
Omaha, Neb., freshman
They told residents they received a noise complaint or that they heard someone was smoking marijuana, he
football games, said the idea began as a joke.
Vanessa Pearson/KANSAN
"I can't believe I was that stupid." Meyer said. "I didn't mean any harm by it."
Liz Phillips, assistant director of the Public Safety Office, said the office employed students as security monitors to monitor footage from cameras in residence hall parking lots, football games and libraries.
The office does not employ security to pahalls.
employ security to patrol residence halls.
Ken Stoner, director of student housing, said that type of behavior was inappropriate and not allowed at the University. Stoner had not, however, received any official information on the episode.
He said that it was a Public Safety Office matter and that he would take action if he received a recommendation from the office.
Stoner said that students are not required to answer their doors. If a student is uncomfortable with a situation, he can phone the residence hall front desk, call the police or contact a resident assistant.
"I don't think there are dozens of people who violate the rules," Stoner said. "We have a single instance."
Edited by Anne Burgard
Bleeding for a cause
The American Red Cross Blood Drop poses for a photo next to the Jayhawk outside the Kansas Union Wednesday. The blood drive continues this week at the Kansas Union and other campus locations.
ON CAMPUS
Competition challenges high school students to design car
The University of Kansas School of Engineering will again sponsor a competition for high school students to demonstrate that engineering is about more than crunching numbers.
the competition would help high school students learn more about the profession
"The whole idea is to show high school students who may not have thought about the possibility of engineering as a career that they can have a lot of fun working on projects that are directly related to the engineering field," Hummels said.
The 18th Annual High School Design Competition is scheduled for Oct. 25 in Eaton Hall. The event usually draws between 100 and 200 students. Teams will design a mousetrap car powered by one spring. The competition has three components, including speed, power and handling. Jill Hummels, director of public relations, said
Participants can also tour the school's facilities and meet with KU faculty and students.
ON THE RECORD
-Aly Barland
A 20-year-old KU student reported a $300 Gary Fisher bicycle stolen sometime between 9 p.m. Tuesday and midnight Wednesday at the 1300 block of Louisiana Street.
A 19-year-old KU student reported an $1800 Sony Vaio laptop computer and $500 in other valuables stolen between 1 and 4 a.m. Saturday from the 2500 block of West 31st Street.
♦ A 22-year-old KU student reported a window estimated at $200 broken at 2 a.m. Wednesday at the 1200 block of Tennessee Street.
ON CAMPUS
A new interactive art exhibit called "Two Cultures: Collection" by Texas artist Tracy Hicks will be unveiled at a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hall Center for the Humanities, east of the Dole Human Development Center. Hicks will present and discuss his work. Regular hours for the exhibit will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting Monday.
A free performance of "On the Yellow Brick Road with Salman Rushdie and Paul Stephen Lim: An Evening of Reminiscences and Revelations" will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Lawrence Arts Center,940 New Hampshire St.
♦ Two world-renowned musical groups are performing this weekend at the Lied Center. The Avishai Cohen trio will play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and the Daedalus String Quartet will play at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at any campus box office.
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
September 29, 2005
Mentoring In the Lives of Kids is an after-school volunteer program that works with 8 different elementary and junior high schools
*For only one hour a week volunteers can tutor,be in a class,or work one-on-one with local students.
The sky's the limit! *Also currently looking for a publicity co-ordinato
*Times are 3:30-5:00 MTRF,
1:30-5 W
*Volunteering hours and locations are very flexible. Feel free to bring your own activities and ideas to your school site.
Contact milk@raven.cc.ku.edu or (785) 864-4072; SILC offices 410 Kansas Union
PAID FOR BY KU
funded by:
STUDENT
SENATE
PAID FOR BY ME!
WHY PRO-LIFE?
Featuring noted pro-life apologist, speaker, & debater
Scott
Friday, Sept. 30
2pm - 3:30pm
Burge Union
Relays Room
Presented by KU Students for Life
Klusendorf
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29
Kansas Union Ballroom, 11 am - 5 pm
Student Rec. Center, 11 am - 5 pm
Kansas Union.
Dial Video Room, 11 am - 5 pm
BLOOD T+ ❤ = DRIVE
SEPTEMBER 26 - 30
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
Kansas Union Ballroom, 11 am - 5 pm
Student Rec. Center, 10 am - 3 pm
Kansas Union
Blood Vessel Bus, 11 am - 5 pm
PANHELLENIC
AURH
NAVY ROTC
KU STUDENT SENATE
KU ALUMNI ASSOC.
IFC
ASHC
KUAC
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Sign up to save lives at www.kublooddrive.com
American Red Cross
together we can save a life
Community Blood Center
ACCUMULATION HOSPITAL
Go to the Student Senate Office 410 Kansas Union or call 864-3710 *Prices & hours are negotiable
Everyone who comes in to donate will receive a FREE KU T-shirt and goody bag!
Want a Tutor? Need a Tutor?
Ballroom Dance Club
Beginner Lessons Sunday 2:30-4:00pm Union Ballroom (Free Dance before & after)
Intermediate-Advance Lessons Wednesday 7:30-9:00pm
Camelot Dance Academy
Salsa/Latin Dance Friday 7:30-9:00pm