Update : 2010-05-20 |
Peter Lyon Software
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Computer paid for by student fees stolen from geoscience lecture hall, may not be enough funds available to replace.
A computer was stolen from a geosciences classroom in Wilkinson Hall on Thursday, Oct. 2. A professor discovered the incident first thing Friday morning at the beginning of class. The professor reported it to the Geosciences' Office Manager, Melinda Peterson, who turned it over to the Oregon State University Campus Police. "There was a seminar going on in the building on Thursday evening and we think that the computer was stolen during that time, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.," said Peterson. The computer was one that the teachers would use to present lectures or videos to students during class. It was just recently bought this fall and is one of the newer ones that include both Macintosh and Microsoft Office 2007 operating systems. The computer was bought with technology resource fee funds that students pay every term as a portion of tuition. This fund is set up to repair and upgrade any technological equipment that is used for the student's learning. "Right now, there is a temporary computer set up there so that the class can still function," said Peterson. "The plan to get a new computer in there depends on whether or not there are enough funds to do that right away." Theft in university buildings is nothing new on campus. In 2006, a series of burglaries occurred where several laptop computers were stolen. Since this incident, campus security released several tips to ensure that you do not become a victim to theft. First, do not leave any laptop computers unattended and unsecured, especially in any offices. The prime reason for this is because of identity theft. If someone steals your computer, chances are they will learn more about you than you want them to know. Second, be sure to pay attention to your surroundings. If you leave your laptop in your car where it can visibly be seen through windows, it would be a great temptation for thieves to steal, since typically they are not afraid of having to break into buildings or cars to get what they want. Third, make sure that all offices and buildings are secured before leaving them at night. As for as this incident, we don't know if the computer contained any valuable data or information. But, the story tell us that computer theft in university buildings is nothing new on campus. Think about your own computer or laptop, in case someone turns on it, do you accept that guy see every files in it? If some of them you only wnat to keep for yourself, encrypt them no hesitate. |