Hartwick College warns trespassers

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September 20, 2011

By Denise Richardson Staff Writer The Daily Star Tue Sep 20, 2011, 03:30 AM EDT

Hartwick College in Oneonta is warning trespassers and requiring permits for some access to college property, among other greater efforts to protect the 425-acre campus, including its Tables Rock and Strawberry Field.

Trees have been cut down and obstacles moved to create entrances and paths on the upper campus for motorized vehicles, an unauthorized use, Hartwick College President Margaret L. Drugovich said Monday night. Campus security officers have confronted trespassers, she said, and incidents involving weapons resulted in calls to law enforcement. In addition to the property damages and safety issues from illegal use, the pathways have contributed to drainage problems in the neighborhood, she said.

Hartwick issued a media release Monday outlining efforts to secure the campus before a private meeting today with neighbors to discuss the measures, Drugovich said.

As of Sept. 1, anyone who isn't a student, employee or guest of Hartwick College must have a permit from the Office of Campus Safety to use the campus, the release said. If approved, a permit will be issued without cost, and previously issued permits won't be honored.

Drugovich said guests include anyone invited to the campus, visiting the campus for a concert or other authorized activity, including using a Hartwick College library card. Anyone interested in hiking on campus property or regularly cutting across the campus needs to apply for a permit, she said.

The goal isn't to keep people off the campus but to know who is using the campus and to enhance safety and protect property, Drugovich said.

"For years, the college has allowed unfettered access to our land," Drugovich said in the release.

During recent discussions about zoning changes in the city of Oneonta, Hartwick officials became aware of concerns of neighboring property owners related to the college's upper campus. An investigation revealed that many concerns could be traced to illegal and unauthorized use.

"Quite unfortunately, the amount of illegal and unauthorized activity that has resulted in damage and potentially harmful conditions now makes it necessary for us to change our approach to allowing the use of our campus," the president said in the release.

Tom Kelly, Hartwick College director of campus safety, said preserving the safety and well-being of the campus community is the "top priority."

"We are sending an unequivocal message that illegal and/or unauthorized of our land will not be tolerated," Kelly said. "Trespass and unauthorized use of Hartwick land will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency."

Use of Hartwick land for all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, motorized vehicles including motorcycles, for hunting, logging and building bonfires is prohibited, the release said.

"Even though our campus is clearly marked, trees have been cut down to create pathways, illegal fires have been set, gates and barriers have been damaged and destroyed, and hunters are trespassing," said George Elsbeck, Hartwick vice president for finance. "Our neighbors have expressed their concerns about surface run-off. It is obvious that the unauthorized use by ATVs and other vehicles is having a detrimental effect on natural drainage."

Neighbors have also expressed concern about individuals who trespass on their property to get onto the college's campus, Drugovich said.

"All of this activity presents a challenge to our neighbors and a concern for the college as we consider how to be a good neighbor and, most importantly, how to assure that our students and our authorized guests can use Hartwick's campus without concerns for their safety," she said.