Season ticket money stolen

The IU athletic ticket office reported that $2,300 from students purchasing basketball tickets had been stolen from its office earlier this month, according to the IU Police Department.\nThe money had been stapled to the back of order forms and was ripped from the forms, IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger said. Detectives determined all the money missing was cash and was from men's basketball season tickets. \nDetectives plan to talk to all employees with access to the area but have no suspects, Minger said. IU Athletics may file for restitution, Minger said. If the department files for restitution, it would mean the money would be repaid if someone was convicted.\nAll student ticket orders will be honored regardless of the outcome of the case, said Jeff Fanter, director of media relations for the Athletics Department. \nFanter declined comment on behalf of athletics director Michael McNeely and ticket office manager Mike Roberts.\nAssociate business dean Bruce Jaffee, chairman of the faculty Athletics Committee, said he will have to deal with possible policy implications of the theft. \n"I've heard stories (about past events), but nothing like this, an outward theft of cash for the department," Jaffee said. "It's a problem."\nHe said he was unsure whether the department made a mistake or whether the cash was stolen by an individual. Jaffee said his committee will investigate the issue once it is fully informed by the Athletics Department and IUPD. \nFanter, who had been out of town this weekend, said he did not know details of the situation, but he said there have been no prior incidents of theft during his two and a half years as director of media relations.\nFanter said he could not comment on whether the Athletics Department has suspects. \n"We have a departmental code of conduct for coaches, staff and athletes," Fanter said. "In any such cases, we apply the code of conduct." \nThe code of conduct, written by Jaffee's committee and adopted in September of 2000, states that all athletes and staff, should "evince honesty and integrity in their statements and actions." \nThe ticket office, located in Assembly Hall, is an area restricted to only a few staff members with keys, Fanter said. There is, however, public traffic in the area surrounding the office.