The University plans to implement additional security measures to prevent students from unlawfully entering University buildings and climbing on rooftops following the death of first-year College student Thomas Gilliam Sunday.
Gilliam sustained fatal injuries after falling from the roof of the Physics building late Sunday evening. A group of University students accompanied Gilliam into the Physics Building and climbed onto the roof.
"Testimony from other students also confirmed that Mr. Gilliam entered through the east door then went to the front door to let them into the building so they could make their way to the roof," University Police Lt. Melissa Fielding said in a press release.
Gilliam lost his footing because of dangerous weather conditions and fell from the Physics Building roof, Fielding said.
The University intends to increase safety measures and security guards to prevent students from climbing onto roofs, entering steam tunnels and breaking into buildings.
"We do plan to implement numerous new measures, including additional locked gates and steel panels in steam tunnels," University spokesperson Carol Wood said in a Tuesday press release. "University Police also will increase evening patrols."
The University specifically has targeted the Physics Building for immediate security improvements.
"Among the enhancements in the Physics Building will be four sets of new exterior doors and locks, in addition to a new electronic access system," Wood said in a phone interview yesterday.
Additionally, the University is reacting to a blog titled "The Bold and the Ruthless," which offered instruction and maps for accessing the rooftops of University buildings and steam tunnels before it was deactivated sometime during the past 48 hours.
"The website encourages individuals to unlawfully enter locked University buildings and climb onto building rooftops," Wood said. "The University Police will not condone illegal activity of this kind and will prosecute offenders."
Fourth-year College students Steve Norum and Matthew Baltz, the authors of "The Bold and the Ruthless," included a disclaimer on the site.
"All events referred to are entirely used for the purposes of anecdotal demonstration; they may or may not have actually occurred," the disclaimer said.
The website encouraged students to access the Physics Building by descending into the steam tunnels and entering through the basement. It warns students to avoid being seen and finally challenges them to find another hidden roof that has a direct line view of Monticello.
Norum and Baltz have acknowledged the University's increasingly stringent policy toward students who illegally access buildings and steam tunnels.
"In response to last weekend's tragic accident the University has changed its policy towards accessing of the steam tunnels and rooftops from one of benign neglect to one of active prevention and prosecution," Norum said in an email.
Norum and Baltz have now removed the site, citing the new, strict University policy on illicit exploration as their motivation. They discourage students from participating in any of the activities they discuss on their website.
"For ourselves, we will undertake none of the proscribed activities and we strongly encourage former readers of the site to do likewise," Norum said.
Neither Norum and Baltz, nor the students who accompanied Gilliam onto the roof, are currently facing disciplinary action, although there is an ongoing investigation.
Many people believe that steam-tunneling and roof-climbing are long-standing University traditions. Officials were surprised that roof-climbing was considered one of '111 Things to Do Before You Graduate.'
"I think we have to separate fun traditions from risky behavior that could result in death," Wood said.
Two University buses will drive students to a funeral service for Gilliam, which starts at 3 p.m. today. The buses will leave from the Student Activities Building to Trinity Presbyterian Church continuously from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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