Dorms Address Cases of Internal Theft

While theft has been at the forefront of discussion on Grill and Academy signage, both students and dorm faculty acknowledge it as an issue in the dorm environment as well. Whether it be major or trivial, theft has caused breaches of trust within certain dorms at Exeter.

Students noted that most items stolen were minor. “People have stolen food from the kitchen in Main Street [Hall],” lower Thomas Guo said. “[Personally,] I’ve had juice and my charger taken.” Although losing the items didn’t pose a serious problem to Guo, he was disappointed at the fact that they were stolen at all.

Lower Diana Lorch had similar experiences. “There’s been stealing of bikes [in Langdell Hall] … One time, I was late to softball practice because someone took my bike, and I saw it by the tennis courts,” she said. Lorch’s bike was returned, but the theft left her frustrated.

Occasionally, incidents have gained the attention of dorm faculty. “We have had times where things went missing from both [the] common spaces [and] the rooms,” Bancroft Dorm Head Aviva Halani said. “Money has gone missing … It’s unfortunately been a part of every year in the six I’ve been here.” While there have been few cases this year, Halani notes that several thefts took place in close succession.

These incidents come after a series of thefts in Grill last December. The most-stolen items, Hi-Chew candies and Dove chocolates, were taken off the shelves. Grill was then closed for the rest of the month following Dec. 17, reopening after discussions between administration and Deans’ Council. Previously, the administration also offered an amnesty period for signs stolen from campus.

Despite all this, dorm theft is fortunately far from endemic. “In most cases, there’s a sense of trust between people in which you trust that they don’t steal or take anything from you,” prep Arya Nistane said.

Not all dorms have had an increase in theft. “I don’t have any first-hand knowledge of high incidence of theft in Ewald at the present time,” Ewald Dorm Head and Mathematics Instructor Kevin Bartkovich said. Similarly, McConnell Dorm Head and Instructor in Health Michelle Soucy noted that, although theft had been an issue in previous years, no cases have arisen recently.

Dean of Residential Life Carol Cahalane confirmed that cases infrequently required a Discipline Committee response. “Dorms generally share the concern with the dorm, remind students of the impact of such behaviors on everyone in the community and ask students to secure their belongings and report any additional thefts,” she said. However, she stressed that dorm faculty should report incidents to Campus Safety, allowing the Academy to monitor incidents at a larger scale.

Cahalane stressed that any theft qualified as a dishonesty violation under the E Book—a major offense that may result in a Requirement to Withdraw.

Dr. Christopher Thurber, who is a school counselor and psychology instructor, noted that varying reasons might be at play. “For things of small value, the reasons could range from a lack of respect to a poor understanding of our community norms,” he said. “For things of large value, the reasons could range from needing money or goods to a compulsion that satisfies an unconscious need for thrills, power, control or connection.” Thurber believes that, at any level, stealing is a manifestation of some mental health issue, though not necessarily a mental illness.

Upper Jameson*, who claims he stole several food items, attributed his theft to the communal nature of his dorm. “I don’t think our dorm has a strong sense of the individual. There are uneaten leftovers and shared cakes all the time,” he said. “We didn’t use name tags [on food] in the beginning, either. I just thought that made it okay.” Over time, he came to realize the impact of his actions, and he apologized to the individual he stole from.

Conversely, upper Parker* stole a Canada Goose coat due to a desire to better his image. “It’s been an issue for me for a long time, not necessarily stealing, but acquisition,” he said. “I was constantly buying things or trying to flip stuff to create a better image, and it just escalated from there … I was having to constantly act like someone I wasn’t to fit in.”

These incidents undermine the communal bonds that are formed in a dorm environment. Lower Hassane Fiteni, whose slippers were stolen, felt a sense of immense betrayal. “The thing about it wasn’t that it was stolen—it was that it was stolen by someone in my dorm,” he said. “It’s like someone in my family, someone in my close circle, took my belongings … Everyone knew those slippers were mine. I was the only one that wore them.”

Halani has seen theft hamper the development of dorm rapport. “I think it tears [the community] apart,” she said. “Sometimes, kids don’t know exactly what it means to steal. They might think that a hundred dollars is just a hundred dollars. To somebody else, it’s a hundred dollars that they worked ten hours for, and now, they can’t afford to buy shampoo.”

Students questioned why individuals felt a need to steal at all. “In [Hoyt Hall], people have been using other people’s conditioner and mouthwash,” prep Jasmine Xi said. “Why would you do this in the first place? Do you really want to use someone else’s mouthwash?”

Regardless of the type of theft, repercussions do ensue after incidents. “After instances of stealing, [Hoyt Hall] had to close the common room,” Xi said. “The faculty sent out an email, and—a few days later—we had a dorm meeting. They reminded us of the impact of theft on its victims.”

For Parker*, theft resulted in a discipline case due to the price of the item. “I was Required to Withdraw for a period of time,” he said. Eventually, the Discipline Committee’s decision was replaced by a Medical Leave. “I had to talk to counselors and get statements from the dorm … [The Discipline Committee] don’t want me to come back, so I might not even.”

While theft is indeed a recurring issue, preventative measures may reduce trust further. “If we set up cameras, we can foster a community of distrust,” upper Talia Rivera said. Instead, Rivera believes that community rehabilitation will ensure that such problematic actions cease.

Parker* agreed. “I just think the school doesn’t think of this as a mental health issue and puts it under a blanket statement of ‘wrong,’ instead of approaching it case-by-case,” he said. “We should look at how to prevent it by offering people the right support systems.”

Thurber emphasized that consequences should ideally focus on values and maturation. “Without mutual respect and trust, the fabric of our community becomes looser and eventually begins to fray,” he said. “Fortunately, we are a forgiving and supportive community, so there are always opportunities to learn from our mistakes. We have all made them.”

*Asterisks denote name change to preserve anonymity