Greenhill’s campus store has a methodical process for preventing theft while maintaining a welcoming environment.
The store, known as The Buzz, is where students can purchase merchandise and snacks. Students can pay with their Buzz accounts, cards or phones.
Although Greenhill’s new phone ban prohibits phone use in most areas of campus, the policy allows an exception when paying in the store.
“Just tap and put it away when you’re done,” Campus Store Manager Anneli Phillip said. “Phones are only to stop you guys from doing it while you’re in class, or in the hallways to help you focus.”
Despite this clarification, some students are still uncertain about whether phones are permitted in the store.
“Since phones are banned at school, I don’t think you can bring it out like at the Buzz since that is still Greenhill ground,” freshman Ben Caplan said.
Phillip emphasized that the Buzz is an exception to the rule but urged students not to misuse it.
“This is a grace period for phone usage and students should respect the policy by not taking advantage of it,” Phillip said.
In addition to managing the new phone policy, Phillip also works to maintain trust and prevent theft.
“In my four years at Greenhill, I have only had to report a few instances of students walking out with products,” said Phillip.
These incidents are handled by reviewing security camera footage and reporting the matter to Dean of Students George Heinrichs.
Phillip said these incidents can happen for a variety of reasons. One example she gave was where a student has already bought a snack during the day and returns to the Buzz later that day with friends who are buying snacks.
“And maybe that kid can’t get multiple snacks today, maybe their one snack is in the morning,” said Phillip. “But when you’re here with your friends and everyone’s getting a snack, you also want a snack, and if your friends won’t pony up and get you a snack, I can see where in a young person’s mind, they can justify walking out with product.”
Students’ actions are sometimes based off the influence of their friends.
“Sometimes you feel like the odd one out because you’re not doing the same things as other people, whether that’s good or bad decisions,” freshman Parker King said.
Phillip said she tries to address this issue by varying the price of items.
“I do have products that are just very inexpensive, and I feel like, if students are on a budget, I’d rather than tell me what they have in their account or what they have in their possession so I could help them out somehow,” Phillip said.
Phillip says the media students consume could play a role in the actions they take.
“There’s a lot of things in entertainment that kind of show and glamorize how easy stealing is, but don’t really glamorize the hard work that goes behind everyone that stocks the product and gets the product out there, or even people that design the product and get it to you safely and all those things,” Phillip said.
