Global Courant 2023-05-18 23:14:12
As final exams draw to a close and the school year draws to a close, the University of Maryland (UMD) is urging students to sacrifice less to the school’s mascot amid a large pile of trash and allegedly stolen items.
Dean of Students Andrea J. Goodwin emailed students Monday advising not to dump “bulk trash, alcohol, road signs, residence hall property, and other dangerous items” in front of Testudo, a statue in front of the College Park school library, according to Inside Higher Ed.
For decades, UMD students have posted items for Testudo during finals week in a show of “goodwill and camaraderie in the face of academic stress,” the email said, but the university will increase police presence around the statue and may take action against students as the number of objects has become precarious.
“Many items posted involved vandalism and property theft,” Goodwin wrote. “These actions have damaged university and private property, blocked sidewalks and can cause damage. These actions have placed an additional burden on our hard-working and dedicated Facility Management and Residential Facilities staff, who are in charge of the removal and repair duties.”
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For decades, UMD students have posted items for Testudo during finals week in a show of “goodwill and camaraderie despite academic stress.” (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Campus police and the Office of Student Conduct are trying to identify those who engaged in “improper conduct” related to Testudo, Goodwin warned.
“Individuals found responsible for damaging property or creating a hazard will be held accountable and punished accordingly,” she said. The school further urged students to seek school counseling services to deal with exam-related stress.
UMD students speaking to local news radio station WTOP noted that there are a ton of objects around Testudo got out of hand.
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An aerial view of the University of Maryland campus on October 4, 2014 in College Park, Maryland. (G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
“I saw a car,” senior Taylor Hilderbrand told the outlet. “Like a four-door, just a small car, yes. I also saw a washing machine and a sofa.”
Hilderbrand said she made sacrifices to Testudo, but always “with pleasure.”
“I’ve never left something crazy like a couch or a car, but I think it’s fun,” she said. “But when it piles up, it becomes a lot.”
Testudo, the Maryland mascot, poses during a Maryland Terrapins game. (Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mireia Gonzales-Ycern, another student, was sympathetic to the school’s response to the Testudo waste, telling the local outlet: “For those who have to clean it up, it can be a hassle and I wouldn’t want to go through that myself. “
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The Testudo Statue made headlines in December 2013, when some of the items left on the water turtle statue caught fire after a student set down a croissant with two lighted candles on it.
Jon Brown is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].
