University sign vandalized, search for letters continues
The USD sign at the corner of Clark and Pine Streets on the southeast part of campus was vandalized this past weekend, losing nine of its letters.
Tena Haraldson, director of Marketing Communications and University Relations, said she was told of the incident immediately Monday morning. This isn’t the first time this has occurred, she added.
“I do know it’s happened in past years,” she said, referring to a similar incident involving the same sign last spring. In that incident, however, not as many letters went missing as this time.
One of the missing letters was found on the ground near the sign, Haraldson said, possibly indicating that the person who removed the letters may have become nervous or surprised and ran away, dropping the letter.
Currently, there are no suspects, Haraldson said. She added that having a security camera in the area might not help much.
“If people want to put their hoods or cover their faces, it (a security camera) doesn’t always help you figure out who it is,” she said.
Haraldson also said it’s not at all known whether the perpetrator(s) of this “immature, thoughtless act” is a USD student or not.
This isn’t a particularly good time of the year for this to occur, Haraldson said, as it “defaces campus right before commencement,” when thousands of people will be coming to campus.
Luckily, Facilities Management had some extra letters on hand, and the missing letters were replaced Monday, with the exception of the letter “H” from “South.”
This incident is also unfortunate because of the work Facilities Management puts in keeping campus looking nice, Haraldson said.
“It’s disappointing that someone’s selfish, stupid act is defacing campus after all the effort everyone else put in,” she said.
If anyone knows anything about the person(s) who may have stolen the letters, Haraldson asked that they contact the University Police Department.
After several attempts for an interview with The Volante, UPD declined to comment on the incident.
“This is being taken very seriously,” Haraldson said. “What they’ve done is a crime.”
However, Haraldson said whoever stole the letters is welcome to place them on the ground near the sign if they decide to return them.
