Cash, clothing and more removed from dorm over break

A College junior returned to her room in Harnwell College House after winter break to discover that residential services had removed all of her belongings from her room.

The student — who is also a Daily Pennsylvanian staff photographer and spoke on the condition of anonymity because she did not want her name connected to “whistle-blowing” in job searches — lost $200-300 in cash, a social security card, a hard drive, camera equipment and whole drawers full of clothing.

“There is stuff that can’t be replaced, and I have to remember everything I lost,” she said. She said that she discovers another belonging lost in this incident every day.

Prior to winter break, Residential Services emailed students in on-campus housing to inform them of routine Health and Safety inspections.

“These will be inspections only. We do not open closet doors or drawers, or move or remove items during these inspections,” read an email from Dionicia Roberson, the residential services manager of Harnwell College House.

The junior was moving from the double to the single in her high-rise apartment because her fall exchange roommate was moving back home. Two new roommates were moving in to maximize housing space. She was in the middle of switching rooms when she left for break, so half of her belongings were in the single, while the rest remained in the double.

Penn Residential Services sent an email regarding preparations for a new roommate. The email stated that residents should ensure that “Designated drawers, closet space and bed for the new resident are empty (and obvious to the person moving in that it will be theirs).”

“What is more obvious than telling your incoming roommates that you will be back before they come back to finish moving out some stuff?” the junior said. “I made it obvious to the people moving in that the room would be theirs by telling them — it didn’t say make it obvious to someone who is going to check the room and clean it out.”

“Our best guess is that Housekeeping threw away the items,” Building Manager Barry Lasley wrote in an email to the junior. “They were asked by Residential Services to clean the empty bed space in the double bedroom and they did so.”

The junior is in the process of pursuing reimbursement from Penn Residential Services.

“They didn’t answer my questions about who was in my room and how this happened,” she said.

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