Student monitors may also be at fault, he adds.
“With all the confusion and movement that goes on during the first week, I wouldn’t be surprised if the student storage monitors are not totally diligent,” he says.
In some Houses, lack of storage space contributes to confusion and inefficiency in the storage system.
Mather House Superintendent Miguel Casillas says he had to use classrooms and tutors’ offices last spring when space ran out.
“The end of last year was a disorganized mess,” he says. “The space was too crowded and too small. I don’t know how we are going to do it next year.”
When storage gets crowded, he says, it exacerbates theft problems. During move-in, students arriving early want quick access to their belongings in the back of storage spaces and put extra items in the hallways.
“A lot of stuff left in the hallway during this time was taken,” he says.
Leverett House Superintendent Paul Hegarty says many reports of missing property result from others mistaking belongings for their own.
“Most people realize their mistake and return the item,” he says. “The student storage areas are what they are. They’re not always foolproof.”