Early reports key to stolen textbook recovery By Rita Dell ■ The Oracle U. of Southern Florida Students and outsiders commonly steal textbooks, most often from the library and the residence hal Is, and attempt to sell them back to the Textbook (.'enter on campus or the Book Center for U. of Southern Florida, said Lt. Boh Staehle of the University Police Staehle said the content of the books doesn't matter very much to the thieves. “If it’s in pood shape and is a USF-required textbook that can be resold, they will take it," he said Two 18-year-old female students were apprehended when they tried to sell stolen textbooks to the Textbook Center last Febuary, according to UP records. The books, which were valued at $141, were reported stolen from a study table at the library. In this case, the owner immediately reported the theft to the UP, who routinely informs both book cen ter.s about stolen textbooks, Staehle said He said the two suspects also were m possession ot two other textbooks that had not Ixx-n reported stolen The suspects told officers they had found the five [took* abandoned in front of Cooper Hall and had tried unsuccessfully to find the owner, Staehle said “Textbook theft really picks up at the end ot each semester with the book buy-back,” Staehle said Doug Gatanis, who is the text manager for the Bk Center for CSF, said, “We have at least '10 people at the beginning ot a semester reporting their books stolen.” Gatanis said Ixxik thefts are reported to the center most often during the first and last two weeks of class. Gatanis said when he is informed of a theft by the l ?P or by a student, he tries to get a description of the (xxik and of any distinguishable marks He said he then puts the information into a computer If someone tries to sell hack a stolen textlxxik, the computer will match it and alert the employees. (latanis said “W** then report it to the police." he said. (latanis said he looks for people who bring m books often or who don’t look like students I iowever. unless the books are reported stolen there is not much that can be done, he said “Keen if we think the books are stolen, we can't refuse to buy them hack." Gatams said. Jeff Mack, the general manager of all USF hook stores, said the Tbxtbook ('enter also uses a computer system to identify stolen books Mack said ins biggest problem is getting people to let the center know about stolen 1 looks so he can put the information on the computer Staehle said students could protect their luniks by picking out the same page in each txiok and writing in their names or social security numbers in small print The thief probably wouldn't take time Pi look for something like that, he said NASA uses schools to design space habitats By Janette Poole ■ Kansas State Collegian Kansas State U. Kansas State U. has been selected by NASA U) formulate designs for human habitats in outer space. The project will examine the control of closed environmental systems used in space travel and living said Allen Cogley, department head of mechanical engi neering at Kansas State l Cogley said the mechanical and chem ical engineering departments were cho sen to administer the project at his uni versity, including an advanced design team of about 30 students per year The KSU proposal, “Automation of Closed Environments in Space for Human Comfort and Safety,” provides $25,000 per year for the salary ot a grad unto assistant, permanent equipment, communication networks, travel expenses and supplies, Cogley said. The graduate assistant acts as the liaison between the university and NASA. At least 20 percent of the team mem tiers, who will bo able to obtain credit from their departments for their work, will be from departments other than engineering, Cogley said. Applicants should be second-semester juniors or first-semester seniors because of the time commitment and the level ot work involved The project is an excellent opportunity for future employment with NASA. < 'oglev said. “It’s a good opportunity for students and faculty to get their foot in the door." he suggested KSr has previously participated in NASA projects I'he mechanical engi neermg department design team won tiie national competition in 1983-84 for its work m the specialized design of a space glove (logley, who wrote tlie proposal for the university, said the program was announced in January. He said the pro ject is interdisciplinary, with students and faculty from departmentsofmechan ical, chemical and electrical engineering, biology, computer science, human ecolo gy, and veterinary medicine/physiology. College Students Having Financial Services Source CollegeTrack Inc., 1989 Rent Continued from page 12 their names on the billings. It often becomes a verbal agreement, Whitmer said. He said roommates should sign an agreement indicating their responsibil ities. ■'You are a fool if you don’t sign a room mate agreement with someone that you don’t know well,” Whitmer said The only legal process designed to recover money from an ex-roommate is to take him to small claims court to recover money up to $1,000 or less, he said To file in small claims court, the plam tif must pay the bills, because he can t sue until they are paid, Whitmer said. The person filing must do so in the county where the defendant lives and the defendant is allowed to set the hear ing date, he said. If the defendant does not appear in court, the injured party wins. Even with a favorable ruling from the judge, the ex-roommate may not pay. If the payment is not made within 15 days after the judgment, the injured room mate may he able to garnishee his ex roommate’s wages if he earns more than $400 a month. “The biggest problem is collecting the money from the ex-roommate and going to the trouble to get it,” Whitmer said, adding that small claims court is the only way to recover money. Kristy Newlon, junior, was left with bills at the end of last year. 'I got lucky though, in getting my money back. I just called my old room mate’s parents and told them the situ ation and they reimbursed me,” she said. Snakes Continued from page 12 Tv's credentials. Besides snake speeches at elementary schools, Ty provided the Burmese python eggs for an AB( ’ TV special titled The World of Snakes.” I le also did illus trations for Venomous Snakes of Iatm America, written by biology Assistant lYofessor Johnathon ( ’ampbell. "He’s the best illustrator I’ve ever seen,’ Campbell said. "He has a great eve for detail." Ty and Troy should know what snakes look like, as huge snake skins drape the hallway into Tv’s room. Inside the room are more than 30 cages filled with albino speckled kings, gray-banded king snakes, corn snakes and, of course, Burmese python eggs The brothers had trouble finding financial backing for their business until their older brother Karl took stock in detergent, literally “He and five other guys bought stock in some detergents that jumped from the buying price of 74 cents a share to $75 a share. He made about $125,000 in two weeks,” Troy said. With this financial backing the busi ness began. Trov said everyone involved with the business put in up to 20 hour days, 100 hours a week, which cut into their schoolwork An positive attitude has helped, too. As John said, “Any goal is achievable, if you so desire." Troy said he had no plans to start the business, but rather, just fell into it. “I never really knew what 1 wanted to do. I fell into it. Asa result of this, 1 never lost out on anything, except this girl from Ohio,” he said. But It Is Retractable.