In September, UF spent about $3,500 to install hand sanitizers on campus. Hopefully Library West is well stocked, because they're about to experience a sharp increase in demand.
Christopher Wallace, 21, was banned from campus last week after police say he was masturbating while looking at porn on a Library West computer. He was served a trespass warning, and said he would not return.
On the bright side, your next wait for a free computer might be less mundane than usual. Watching someone waste computer time writing Facebook messages or beating their all-time high score in Tetris has never seemed so appealing.
Sadly, this is not the first incident of its kind. In January 2008, a 41-year-old Gainesville resident was accused of masturbating in the Education Library at Norman Hall.
Police filed charges of exposure of sexual organs and trespass after warning. We hope Mr. Wallace's warning is more effective.
While the sheer absurdity of these acts and the cleanliness of Library West keyboards might be the first things that come to mind, the real issue is how to ensure the safety of students on such a large, porous campus.
Anyone with their pants on can walk into a UF library (what happens to their pants after entering is another story). Strict security measures are costly and a hassle to students. But there are some inexpensive, commonsense solutions.
If someone is using school resources inappropriately, report them.
While the student who reported Mr. Wallace did so only after the fact, we commend her for taking any action at all. A man masturbating in a room full of strangers is bound to draw attention from more than one student, and it is everyone's responsibility to help protect the safety of their peers.
