Windows across campus have been the recent targets of increased vandalism, said Robert Misbrener, associate director of maintenance.

In the past two weeks, 15 work orders for window replacement have been filed, Misbrener said. Some work orders also report multiple windows destroyed in one area.

Seven bus stop windows near the Ice Arena were discovered shattered on the morning of Oct. 30, he said. Also, two new windows at Michael Schwartz Center were broken Nov. 7.

There are currently no suspects in any of the cases, Misbrener said.

“We have a fairly good idea that it’s kids off campus,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s a fairly good idea more than a hope. You don’t want to see college-aged students doing that.”

Misbrener said the vandalism is most likely committed with a pellet gun or slingshot. Since the glass at the bus stops was tempered, it shattered into tiny pieces. He said breaking of windows is common on campus, but recently the number of incidents has risen.

“I can’t fathom why they would be doing it,” he said.

Lt. Carl Sweigert of the Kent State Police Department said the vandalism is considered criminal damaging, a second-degree misdemeanor, if damage is excessive. Restitution must be paid for the replacement of the windows and an additional fine of up to $1,000 can be administered as well as jail time.

However, if a person stays in a residence hall and admits to the damaging, then he or she may not be charged, he said. Only when the vandal leaves the scene is a crime committed in these cases.

Misbrener said he never knew about the vandalism until he become associate director of maintenance at Campus Environment and Operations in April 2005.

“Now that I’m over here, it’s a rude awakening about what goes on over the weekend,” he said. “It’s kind of depressing as well when you spend all this time making the campus look nice. You end up taking two steps back.”

Hannah Roos, sophomore zoology major and manager of Wright Hall’s office of Kent Interhall Council, said with the recent vandalism to windows in Wright Hall, she fears for her office. The windows at Wright Hall are not all tempered, so there were large shards of glass on the floor.

“I think it’s pretty sad that students feel they need to do that,” she said. “That puts us in an awkward position at KIC with it being surrounded by all the windows.”

Roos said the concern is greater at Tri-Towers because of Rosie’s Diner being the center of drunken, late-night food runs.

Contact building and grounds reporter Kevin Kolus at [email protected].