Fireworks fly in Wilks

            A firework set off in Wilks Hall activated a fire alarm, forcing students to exit their dorms on the evening of Jan. 19.

            The firework was allegedly tossed down a stairwell around 9 p.m.  The perpetrators still have not been identified, according to campus officials.

            First-years Lindsay Muratore and Briona Hall, residents of Wilks, said they heard the firework go off and informed staff about the incident.

            "We think someone lit the firework on the fourth-floor balcony and threw it down to the third floor," Hall said.  "We didn't see anyone running away because we were on the third floor."

Muratore said that there was no fire, but smoke was visible.

            "We tried to fan off the fire alarm, but it didn't work," she said. "It wasn't a big firework, just a little guy."

            Residence Director Patrick Hale sent out an email to the Wings/Davis/Wilks complex community the night of the event acknowledging the two residents that saw the incident because they notified staff immediately.

            "Thankfully no one was harmed during this incident, and students were able to return to the building in a relatively quick fashion," the email stated.

            Each time a fire alarm goes off, it costs $500 which students are responsible for paying in the long run, according to the email.

            "Such an act could have done more damage than it had already caused and endangered the lives of both the individuals responsible and their fellow community members in Wilks," the email stated.

            Learie Nurse, the assistant director of the Redstone campus, said that this instance is under investigation and students have been asked to come forward if they have any information.

            Nurse said that there could be a variety of consequences if the person who set off the firework is found.

            "If an individual is found responsible for this particular incident, they are subject to go through the conduct process which is with the Center for Student Ethics and Standards (CSES)," he said. "They adjudicate cases of this nature."

            Nurse stated that if a student or students turned themselves in as the perpetrator or perpetrators of this incident, there would be a chance for a Restorative Practices Conference to be held.

            "This is a process we use within the department of Residential Life and CSES to address harm that is done to and in a community," he said.

            In order for events of this type to be prevented, residents need to recognize that they are part of a bigger community, Nurse said.

            "The residential halls are not just a place to sleep, but a place where community is built, lifelong friendships are created, and, above all, a place that should be treated with a lot more pride and respect," he said.