On a brisk spring morning, I recall making my way to the library with the intention of buying a coffee before class.
As I walked through the doors of the library, taking a right toward the snack store, I noticed the store was closed with two signs taped to the doors. These signs read something like, “Closed until further notice, investigation occurring.”
Confused and slightly annoyed, I left the library. This sign remained for a month, if not longer.
What I am referring to here is the recently exposed thefts from the Sandor Teszler Library Snack Store provided by AVI Services. At the end of the spring 2025 semester, a handful of students were caught via video camera after having stolen products from the snack store. There were various punishments doled out to students including community service and fines.
The Old Gold & Black reached out to the Wofford College Business Office for exact data relating to the library store thefts. According to the Business Office, around $500 of inventory was lost during the spring 2025 and fall 2025 semesters, with more than two students caught stealing. Audits conducted by AVI and Wofford College will continue to deter future thefts.
What does this mean for our campus? Has there been a shift in Wofford’s culture, away from a culture of integrity and trust? Or are students merely taking opportunities given to them, even if these aren’t necessarily “good” opportunities?
On Wofford’s campus, there has generally been a great sense of trust among students. Students will leave their personal belongings at tables in the library unattended or leave their dorm rooms unlocked while they are in class. Lost items are seemingly returned often as highlighted in the Daily Announcements.
In most cases, Wofford students have taken it upon themselves to help one another out, to do the right thing. This is something to be proud of about our campus culture, a standard set for upcoming students, an expectation of the “Wofford Way.”
Was the library store theft phenomenon just a fluke? It seems like students do not want to steal from one another but are okay with stealing from the college and the businesses that it employs. Unfortunately, the thefts have not stopped. Recently, more students were caught stealing from the library and duly punished for their thefts.
The question now is what will the college’s response be? There are some preventative measures in place to deter theft; however, with a lack of security cameras in most dorm halls, the question of how to react will now be left up to the students. Will students feel the need to lock their dorm rooms or not leave items unattended while studying?
It is the responsibility of the student body to decide and maintain the values Wofford represents. The decisions of others reflect on all students, and at the very least, decreasing theft in the library will prevent future annoyances and closures of the snack store.
