A joint investigation involving University Housing and the Office of the Dean of Students into last weekend's Sellery Residence Hall stabbing is still in the preliminary stages, but due to the isolation and rarity of the incident, university officials say they do not plan to change policy or increase security.
Housing officials were reluctant to comment Wednesday on the future of the accused UW-Madison freshman Brant Thundercloud, citing the need for due process for the protection of all involved.
The stabbing occurred in Sellery Hall around midnight this past Saturday. It started out as an argument, but ended with UW-Madison freshmen Christopher Boll walking away with a cut on his arm that needed eight stitches.
Kevin Helmkamp, student services project manager for University Housing stressed, \This is an extremely isolated incident."" He could not recall any other incident of violent attacks involving a weapon in the past several years.
Paul Evans, director of University Housing explained that adding more security would not necessarily prevent incidents like this, as all involved were residents of Sellery Hall. He could not comment directly on the future of Thundercloud, but he did say that a full investigation will take place and appropriate action will be taken.
Policy changes or increases in security for the residence halls appear unlikely at this point. Current policy clearly prohibits any possession of weapons in the residence halls, but some knives are not deemed ""weapons.""
""We don't prohibit kitchen cutlery ... some knives are clearly considered a weapon,"" Helmkamp said. ""It sometimes calls for a judgment call.""
The incident affected the residents of Sellery Hall. None of the residents interviewed said knives should be banned. They suggested various punishments, such as academic suspension or banning Thundercloud from all extracurriculars.
""You get kicked out of this place for dropping stuff out the window, so I think he should be kicked out,"" said UW-Madison freshman Jennifer Gorst.
Some students thought the university should do more to protect students.While no one interviewed favored requiring students to check in all 24 hours, some thought it would be a good idea for later hours. Others thought more security is needed.
""This is the biggest campus in the state and there is practically no security,"" UW-Madison freshman Lauren Free observed.
