A Manhattan College shield once proudly hung over Locke’s Loft, but this is no longer the case. Another shield, much smaller in size, was located over the Tex Mex station, but that too, has gone missing.

The shields have been missing since roughly Feb. 22. 2016.

“This is actually the second time that it has gone missing,” said Director of Gourmet Dining Services, Brian Conway. “We have since replaced the “M” because it never showed face again.”

Because of the theft, “REWARD, LOST SIGN” notices have been put up around Locke’s Loft to spark conversation among the students, and with hopes that the shields would be returned.

“I’ve been in college, I know what you guys do,” said Conway. “I thought it’d be funny to put a little lost puppy sign up.”

The notices inform that students will be given an award if the sign is found, and that they should contact Conway with any information.

“Nobody is going to get in trouble or anything, just bring it back,” said Conway while adding what the reward might be. “I’ll just buy them dinner at the cafe or something.”

Conway’s intentions were that the reward signs might remind students of their Lasallian values.

“We’re trying to pull on their Lasallian values and morals to see if anyone would come forward,” said Conway.

The shields are not the only things that have been taken from Locke’s Loft, silverware is also becoming a hot commodity.

“4,000 spoons were taken last semester,” Conway said. “190 were taken last night alone.”

Of the five core Lasallian values, Conway was mainly referring to the ones that revolve around justice, respect for all people and community. Stealing however, strongly goes against these values.

Manhattan College’s inclusive community includes making sure proper actions are portrayed to and by all members of the campus, which includes students, professors, public safety, dining services, and much more.

Brother Jack Curran, F.S.C., Ph.D., and vice president of mission at Manhattan College, explains these values in further detail.

“Dignity of the individual person is vitally important,” said Curran in Manhattan College’s “What It Means To Be Lasallian” promotional video. “That is what being a Jasper is about, and that’s what being a Lasallian is about, people who are committed to the well being of students.”

Conway, like Curran, takes his job seriously to ensure that students are well taken care of.

“When you guys sit down to eat and have no spoons, or no forks, it gets to me because I want to offer you guys [students] the best service,” said Conway.

Conway further discussed how Gourmet Dining is commonly a spot for perspective students and their families to tour while they are visiting campus.

“It goes to the quality of the college,” Conway said. “I saw a mother and a daughter looking at the school and we had plastic silverware out, it just looks bad.”

Conway mentioned a few reasons why he thinks so many spoons might have gone missing.

“Most kids feel that they pay so much for tuition that it’s just their thing to take,” said Conway. “I know that they’re all not stealing, they’re just using them. It’s just a lapse of their mind.”

Anne King, a resident student, agrees that these actions are not intentional to disrupt the business of Gourmet Dining.

“When I need spoons, I take them,” said King. “I never thought of it as such a big issue.”

To tackle the issue, Brian Conway and Gourmet Dining are going to use amnesty baskets so that people can return the silverware that they took out of Locke’s Loft.

“I’m gonna roll out amnesty baskets and put them in all of the dorms so people can return what they took, no big deal.” said Conway, who was optimistic that the baskets would be successful.

The idea of amnesty baskets is not new, but is returning this school year with a different approach from Conway.

“I’ve done this program for the last three years,” said Conway. “If I roll them out a little bit earlier, maybe I’ll catch that kid who just took something, and it will be easy for that kid to return it.”

King agrees that amnesty baskets would be helpful.

“I could definitely see this working very well,” said King. “We don’t mean to take them and it would be weird to just go to Locke’s with my old spoons. Baskets would make it much easier to return what we took.”

Conway also expressed that he is willing to listen to students about alternative methods to help fix this problem, and how to combat the issue from here on out.

“I’m open to what the student body has to say,” Conway said. “ Just take the plastic silverware, it’s always available. Leave me the actual plates, knives and forks. As far as anything you take or already have, just give it back, there’s no problems.”