Many female UB students were angry and confused last Friday after discovering someone had gone through many women's restrooms on campus and left all the toilet seats up.
The incident, not limited to one specific area, occurred on North Campus in the Student Union, Knox Hall, Capen Hall and Provost Elizabeth Capaldi's office.
Capaldi said that not only was her toilet seat left up, but the person behind the stunt had left a piece of feces in the tank behind the seat.
"This is a disgusting act committed by a sick individual," said an agitated Capaldi. "Who would do such a thing? I had to pick up the evidence myself before giving it to University Police."
University Police said they have yet to find any fingerprints on the feces other than those of Capaldi, leading them to believe that the perpetrator must not have touched it with their hands.
One source, who wished to remain anonymous, said she recognized several male students from MTV's "Fraternity Life" going into the women's restroom in Knox Hall while holding a live chicken.
"I just thought it was a silly prank," the source said. "I never thought they would go so far as to leave all the toilet seats up. This is an outrage!"
The "Fraternity Life" pledges could not be reached for comment.
"I went to the bathroom in the Student Union and was angry to see that someone left the toilet seat up," said Kissime Touche, a senior philosophy major. "I checked every stall in the bathroom, and they were all up."
Many students experienced different consequences as a result of the incident. Kimberly Cheeks, a sophomore exercise science major, had perhaps the most traumatic experience when she fell in the toilet.
"This is my first semester at UB, and I have been accustomed to living in a house with all women, so the seat would always be down," Cheeks said. "I had to (use the bathroom) pretty bad. I didn't look when I went into the stall, and I fell in. The worst part was that I had to go so bad that I had already begun (to defecate) as I began to sit down."
Student Association President Christian Oliver denied rumors that he was behind the toilet seat incident.
"I would never commit such a heinous act," Oliver said. "The toilet seats in the SA office were left up too. If I were behind this, why would I have put the seats up in my own office?"
Immediately after the comments by Oliver, a loud splash was heard from the direction of the women's bathroom in the SA office. SA Treasurer Naazli Ahmed emerged from the bathroom with her clothes soaked.
"Who left the seat up?" Ahmed yelled, as Oliver unsuccessfully fought to hold back laughter.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
