Recently, theft has become a problem at Guilford, causing many students to suffer due to the actions of others.
Students in the theatre studies department have been affected first-hand by these thefts throughout the past few years and were once again hit by a mysterious thief in Bauman B10, where the digital sound design class takes place. The theft occurred somewhere between Sept. 12 at 1:00 p.m. and Sept.13 at 11:30 a.m.
“I have a sound cart that houses a mixer, equalizer, and sound processor,” said Tad Feekes, visiting assistant professor of theatre studies. “The cart was chained to a post and the mixer was screwed to the top with security screws. Someone came in, unscrewed the mixer, and walked passed the security office to leave.”.
The theatre studies department is now left without a soundboard, a crucial aspect of production.
“The mixer that was stolen is the heart of the class and we can do very little with out it,” said Feekes. “It is going to make the class nearly impossible to teach until I can get it replaced.”
“It’s a big pain for the sound design class and the production in general,” said Guilford theatre studies student, Mary Beth Howington.
Last fall, a brand new projector, amplifier, and DVD player that was hooked into a speaker system were stolen. The equipment was only two weeks old when it was taken and it took over a year until the theatre studies department found enough money to replace it.
The person who took the equipment still remains a mystery and many people wonder if they are even connected to Guilford at all.
“It seemed odd that it would have been so cleanly done,” said Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies Tim Hanna.
The theater studies department, along with many teachers and students hope Guilford can remain trusting.
“We are an open community, we don’t want to have to restrict access to classrooms,” said Hanna.
The Guilford student handbook says that theft of property is “prohibited and considered intolerable.” Guilford considers theft a level III sanction, which means that it could result in suspension or dismissal from college, as well as all possible level I and II sanctions.