Banner thefts mystery remains unsolved

By Kyle Blaikie
Norwich Guidon staff writer

On Parent's Weekend, Oct. 12-14, Siobhan Coyne, 19, a freshman political science major from Carver Mass, woke up and saw that the banner she and her rook buddies had worked so diligently to finish was missing.

Her parents came to Norwich that morning, and the banner that Coyne was so anxious to show them had vanished.

Four out of the 11 company banners prepared for Parents Weekend were stolen the Friday before family members arrived, according to students.

The banners are made every year by freshman platoons to welcome their parents to the campus for campus weekend.

"I think that people should think twice before stealing," Coyne said. "They should learn to respect things."

"This competition is a big thing," said Maggie Denison, 20, a junior communications major from Hopewell Junction, N.Y., and drill instructor for the freshmen in Golf company.

"Parents look forward to seeing the banners, and they must have been disappointed," Denison said. "We [the cadre] had to tell the parents and try to explain to them why."

"My parents were mad," Coyne said. "They didn't even get to see it."

According to the commandant's office, the stolen banners were later found by a dumpster. The people responsible for the thefts were never found.

Many corps students are upset about these actions and the actions that have not been taken to find the students responsible.

Michael Phelan, 20, a Business major from Beverly, Mass, said that it's "a shame" these students are at Norwich.

"I can't believe that there are cowards at this University that would stoop low enough to steal banners off the sides of a corps building like they have nothing better to do," Phelan said. "I hope that it was worth it."

Col. Michael McKean, Vice President for Student Affairs, said that it doesn't matter who stole the banners.

"A thief is a thief," McKean said. "It isn't about who took the banners. It doesn't matter if they were civilians or corps. They are thieves and we have to focus on those few people."

According to Denison, the freshmen put a lot of time into these banners.

"We put over 40 man-hours into the banner," Denison said. "Plus the cost of paint, brushes and the creativeness that went into the finished project."

Mckean said that the people responsible should be charged with stealing.

"I think that they should be punished, because civilians live by the same honor code as we do," Denison said. "I think that they should pay for the supplies or have to do community service or do something to apologize to the companies."

Many students in the Corps of Cadets believe civilian students committed the thefts.

McKay reminds everyone in the corps that, "we can't brand or stereotype a certain population."

"It's not like the entire civilian population is trying to riot together and steal freshman banners," McKay said.

"The corps understands how much work went into them; we all did once before," McKay said "We can only hope that they will be dealt with."

Students, both corps and civilian, believe that the theives should be expelled under the honor code.

"Regardless of corps or civilian, stealing on this campus is grounds for dismissal," said Elysha Nelson, 19, a civilian junior Communications student from Lunenburt, Vt.

"We will not tolerate those who steal at this university," Mckean said. "We have a code here that says we will not lie, cheat or steal. That is called stealing. If I find out who does it, I suspect that they will be dismissed from the university."

McKay said he would "hit them as hard as I could with whatever I could."

"If it was anyone in the corps, they would be ready to get kicked out of school." Denison said. "Everyone preaches equality but it just doesn't happen."

According to Marc Defelice, 20, a criminal justice and English major from New Canaan, Conn., the punishment should be doing something for the school.

"They ruined the spirit of the corps of cadets," Defelice said. "They should build back up what they destroyed. Something this big can't be replaced, but it can be made up."

The morning after the thefts, McKay sent cadet MPs through the civilian dorms searching for the banners.

According to McKay, the majority of the residents were willing to help.

"I have been here for three years, and I respect what goes on in the corps," Nelson said. "I respect the corps and whatever they do. I think that the majority of the civilian students feel the same way."

"I just hope that before people do something like that they understand what they are doing," Coyne said.

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