UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 25, Page 7
March 21, 1996
Look for it in Public Safety's 'lost and found'

     In the communications room of the Public Safety building sits a
large storage cabinet. Its neatly organized shelves and trays bear
labels such as keys and I.D. cards. The cabinet is not used to store
the gear of Public Safety officers and staff; it's the home of the
University's lost and found.
     Keys, wallets and I.D. cards are among the most common items that
make their way to the lost and found, according to Karen Smith, a
Public Safety dispatcher whose responsibilities also include
organizing and documenting items that have been lost and discovered.
     Other ownerless objects typically include eyeglasses, textbooks
and articles of clothing. "Every so often," she said, "someone turns
in something really strange. Once, someone turned in a wooden magazine
rack that looked as if it had been made in a high school shop class."
     Items enter the lost and found in several different ways.
     Often, Public Safety officers find things and turn them in at the
end of their shifts. Students, faculty and employees bring in things
they discover in classrooms and residence halls. Frequently, people
find such small items as wallets and keys and simply drop them in
Campus Mail.
     "These things eventually get to us," Smith said, "but it would be
helpful if people would bring them to us in person or include a note.
Items often can be more easily identified, and the owner located, if
we know where and when they were found."
     Public Safety houses the central lost and found for the campus
community. However, some departments and units hold items that have
been discovered in their respective areas. "Ideally," Smith said,
"these things should be sent directly to our lost and found area."
     It is extremely important that all items reported missing or
found are well-documented. Smith said a form should be filled out at
Public Safety describing the item and noting where and when it was
lost-or discovered.
     All these items are recorded in a log book. The forms can then be
compared to the log and a possible match made.
     Items turned in to the lost and found are held for 60 days. After
that, certain items are given to charity. Eyeglasses, for example, are
donated to the Lion's Club and clothing is donated to the local
Goodwill. Any valuables, such as watches, bicycles and jewelry, are
sold at annual auction.
     For information about the lost and found or to inquire about lost
items, call 831-2224.
                                                        -Scott Collins