Administrators of the newly-opened Varsity apartment building on Route 1 said they expected the number of parties in the building to die down after the first weekend. It didn’t.
Vandalism and property damage got to be such a nuisance last week that Varsity Property Manager Barbara Steinke sent an email to all Varsity residents that began with, simply, “SERIOUSLY!!??”
“My previous communications have been polite and informative, but now I’m forced to take a stronger approach,” she wrote before explaining that it was “completely unacceptable” for residents and their guests to be “tearing directional and safety signs off of walls, stealing pictures, punching holes in walls, destroying exit signs, breaking glass in stairwells and hallways, vomiting in the hallway, gum on the carpet, dumping trash in the hallways.”
She also said those who had stolen property have until today to return them before facing theft charges.
But it seems Varsity management is not the only group upset over these events. Varsity residents such as freshman Megan Berger sympathize with the email, adding that the Varsity has “been putting up with this for a while … stupid drunk kids trying to be funny.”
“[Administrators] weren’t that strict on security,” Berger said.
Sophomore elementary education major Laura Sabrio said hallway security cameras would be a step in the right direction.
“I don’t think they are preventing theft and destruction the way theyshould,” she said.
Varsity resident and senior Ashley Grove also said “the whole situation is just disgusting … waking up at 1 a.m. to people wrestling outside your doorway.”
“We pay almost $1,000 a month there, and we have people writing obscene things on the wall,” Grove said, adding that visitors to the building seem to be the biggest offenders.
Freshman Zach Knotts agreed, saying that people had pulled off railings in the stairwells.
“People are just wrecking the facilities. … Mostly kids who are outside the Varsity and don’t really care.”
And the Varsity’s guest policy is one area Steinke said administrators would be focusing on.
“Our policy is not unrealistic,” Steinke wrote in an email. “We just ask that they treat the Varsity like they would treat their own home. … Residents want to have guests over, but do not necessarily want to take responsibility for them and their actions.”
When asked if administrators were planning to make any changes if behavior does not improve, Steinke wrote that they hope to “affect positive change … through open communication.” She also said they are “prepared to pursue eviction and/or criminal charges.”
General assignment reporter Emma Atas contributed to this report.
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