Numerous cases of vandalism were reported across campus last week and this past weekend, including many spray-painted words and symbols on sidewalks and buildings.
Skilled Trades Supervisor Deb Russell said the Office of Structural Services received several complaints of vandalism late last week, and she said each incident is being handled by the proper office.
Russell said she oversees retouching of painted surfaces, but most of the incidents occurred on sidewalks and, therefore, are handled by the MSU Physical Plant Landscape Services Department .
Grounds Maintenance Manager Gerry Dobbs said Landscape Services has been working on removing the spray paint since receiving the complaints, but the process can be lengthy.
Dobbs said his department will use power washers to remove paint from sidewalks and outdoor furniture.
In some cases, chemicals have to be used to remove the paint. Both options are very costly, Dobbs said, although he was unsure how much the average cost was.
“It is pretty expensive, (and) it’s not what we’re planning on spending time or money on,” he said.
“It actually takes us away from the things we should be doing. We look upon it as a type of vandalism we need to take care of.”
Several incidents might be related to an assignment from a Communication Arts and Science class, CAS 111: Digital Image.
Media and information sophomore Jennifer Berggren is in the class and said the more than 200 students enrolled were instructed to create a tag and use the stencil to spray-paint the tag across campus.
Berggren said the instructor, assistant professor Henry Brimmer, made it clear that students were not to use permanent paint when making their tags. Brimmer could not be reached for comment Monday night.
“We weren’t supposed to use permanent paint,” she said. “(The professor) had a bright yellow sign telling us not to.”
It has not been confirmed whether these cases of vandalism were related to the course.
Dobbs said there is a special events coordinator who handles all promotional or previously planned paintings on campus sidewalks, even washable makings. This event was not authorized, Dobbs said.
Patricia Johannes, an assistant carillonneur at Beaumont Tower, reported seeing numerous paintings on and around the tower Friday morning.
Johannes said this is not the first time she has seen this type of vandalism on Beaumont Tower.
“These stencil things have been going on for the past few years,” she said.
“The tower seems to be a target for this.”
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