WRC incident spurs concern

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by Kathleen Fisher

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The Campus Police are still in the process of investigating a criminal trespass that occurred on Feb. 17 shortly after midnight in the third-floor women's restroom at Will Rice College.

A female resident reported that she was taking a shower when she noticed a pair of male-styled shoes outside the shower curtain. Then a hand reached into the shower, and as soon as the woman hit the hand, the intruder fled.

From the woman's quick glimpse of the man and another student's description that corresponded, the attacker was reported to be a white male with dark hair and a receding or shaved hairline, between the ages of 20 and 30 and about 5-8 to 5-11 in height. Other sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, report that they noticed a bulky-looking man matching the description at about the time of the crime.

Campus Police Chief Mary Voswinkel said that many scenarios are possible. The intruder could have been an outsider who was let in, indicating that he got past both the card reader and the bathroom combination. One theory was that one or both of the doors were not functioning properly.

Voswinkel said that the man may have been a guest who did not stay with his host or, possibly in the worst of scenarios, the subject was a student.

"It's so important that you know who you let in and who you share the combinations with," Voswinkel said.

Since the incident, the bathroom combinations at WRC have been changed.

"In the ideal situation, there are three levels of security between you and someone off the street," Voswinkel said. This includes the outside card reader, an elevator key where applicable and finally the door to one's room. Voswinkel said if one of those levels is missing, like at Wiess and Lovett Colleges, security becomes even more of an issue, and it is necessary to use all the precautions available.

Freshman Allison Marble, a resident of the third floor at WRC, said, "It's very frightening because we're used to taking measures when we're out on campus, but you would hope to consider yourself safe within your dorms, especially the bathrooms. It's where you're at your most vulnerable."

This item appeared in the News section of the February 23, 1996 issue.

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