Three of five missing couches from the Susan B. Anthony Residence Halls lounges were returned last Saturday and Sunday following the “Couch Amnesty Weekend,” when residents were allowed two days to return the missing furniture without any fines or penalties.
The cost for the remaining two couches totals $2,400 and will be added to the final building charges for damage, vandalism and stolen property that residents are responsible for paying at the end of the semester.
“The sense of community has been breached somewhat by the removal of many couches from our lounges,” area coordinator Ed Feldman said in an e-mail addressed to Sue B. residents. “Being members of a community, there is a responsibility to set a certain standard. When that standard is broken, it is up to the community to respond appropriately.”
The furniture was first noticed to be missing on March 24 when area coordinators and facilities personnel were conducting a routine inspection of the building to check for cleaning or mechanical issues, according to Feldman.
An e-mail was then sent to residents demanding that articles be returned and warning of possible fines that would apply to all Sue B. residents.
“I don’t think everyone should be held accountable in the entire building for one couch missing on one floor,” freshman Emily Discenza said. “If they could isolate the cost to a certain floor that would be a little more logical, but it’s not my decision.”
The remaining two couches are both from the fourth floor social lounge. Residents will be charged approximately $5 to cover the cost of the furniture if it is not returned by the end of the semester.
Freshman John Hobaika, creator of the “It’s Pimp to have a couch in your room, yo” group on Facebook.com, admitted to having one of the missing pieces in his room for three months.
Hobaika returned it to the lounge shortly after receiving the e-mail. “My room seemed empty and I wanted to fill it up a bit,” Hobaika said.
“They really should provide more furniture for the rooms.”
Students found to be in possession of the stolen furniture after the amnesty period face a possible warning or mandatory community service in the building, according to Feldman.
Despite this possibility of punishment, it is difficult for the administration to discover couches present in students’ dorm rooms.
Resident advisors are allowed to enter a room if they suspect the presence of alcohol, drug abuse, or theft.
However, it is unlikely that they would inspect every room since they would have to obtain credible evidence of the possession of stolen property for each room that they inspect, according to Graduate Head Resident William Beasley.
“[My residents seem to think] it’s fun to say that you have a couch in your room, and apparently, they fit with minor blockage of the front drawers,” resident advisor Jenna Anderson said. “They are more useful in the rooms since the lounges are mostly used for studying, and hardly anyone studies on the couches.” Fernandez can be reached at mfernandez@campustimes.org.
