SGO Treasurer Ben Armour '01 said that he noticed about $200 missing from the SGO office when he returned from winter vacation.
"We haven't apprehended anyone that has been found responsible," said Director of Student Activities Sam Haynes.
Armour reported the theft to Haynes, who advised him to file a formal complaint with Campus Police.
Armour decided not to file the complaint. "I was concerned, but there was really nothing that could be done," he said. "We kind of conducted our own internal investigation."
Armour said the money, which had been collected from student fax machine use, was in a desk drawer and not in a place that anyone would know about. "I assume [the thief] went through a lot of drawers," he said. "The money not being put in a safer place was really my fault."
Since the theft, the SGO has taken several security measures, including buying a lockbox for cash in the SGO office and leaving all Student Finance Committee (SFC) forms outside the office. Previously, building managers occasionally let students into the office to pick up SFC forms, even when it was unoccupied.
Armour said they were already planning to put the forms outside. "But the theft accelerated the process," he said. "We've tried to minimize the need for people to get in there."
Although only the SGO executive board, SFC members and the on-duty building manager have keys to the office, "the building manager could let anyone in at any time," Armour said. "Previously, people who had no business going in the office could've gotten in there under the pretense of looking for forms."
WAMH General Manager Sarah Short '02 has also had concerns about the security of her office. "I'm concerned that building managers are really loose with the keys," she said. But she added that she has been happy with the way Haynes and Assistant Director of Student Activities Jim Kenny have responded to the issue.
Kenny said that building managers previously occasionally handed out their set of keys to people approved for entry to specific offices. After student complaints, however, they have been instructed not to hand off their keys to anyone not on the Campus Center staff.
Kenny said that there were tentative plans to increase security with regard to the building managers. "Starting next year, we are trying to move toward a system where all student office spaces will have keys; people will not be let in by building managers," Kenny said. He added that under such a system, the building managers would have logs for when they have to let people into offices.
WAMH has had problems with unauthorized key use and people borrowing equipment without permission.
The Student has had similar problems, leading to the staff requesting a lock change earlier this semester.
"I would like a keypad system," said Short, explaining that because the code could be changed, the problem of unauthorized possession of keys can be alleviated.
Haynes noted that such an option was extremely expensive, costing at least $500 per door for a low-tech version or thousands for keypads like those on the outside of dormitories.
Despite the expense, Haynes said that he has not ruled out such an option. "I'm very concerned about the security of my building," he said.
Haynes added that the culture of the Campus Center hinders security measures. "Upon my arrival I was very concerned about numerous open doors, but Amherst College tries to make all rooms as available to students as possible," he said. "We want the students to move as freely as they wish, and I think it's a good thing."