Music school finally in tune

It seems the music school has finally acknowledged that it's time to change the locks and begin a new era in instrument security.\nThey've been publicly ridiculed and bashed for their lack of swiftness in preventing more thefts, but they're doing it now and that's an important step.\nNow all they have to do is prevent it from ever happening again.\nWe at the IDS would like to raise just a few questions for the music school to consider as they change the locks and think of ways to avoid another disaster such as this. These might seem a little redundant to the administration, but we don't think they'll sound redundant to the student who has to explain to his or her parents that the University just lost an instrument worth more than a car.\nAccording to Larry Stephens, director of risk management, it is the students' responsibility to insure their instruments (IDS, Oct. 17). And we agree. But shouldn't the School of Music be held accountable for its total lack of security precautions when the incident initially happened? When so much trust is given to the institution, should the students be held responsible to replace their near-priceless possessions?\nWhy didn't anyone let the students of the school know that these keys were gone as soon as it happened? The music school houses some of the most expensive equipment on this campus. So when the master keys to IU's equivalent of Fort Knox are gone, don't you think some people have the right to know so they can take the proper precautions -- like maybe taking their instruments home?\nWhich leads us to this $20,000 violin.\nWould that violin have been so vulnerable if someone would have just admitted to a negligent mistake?\nOf course not.\nAnd even after all of this was brought to the public eye, a 55-pound safe (55!) was stolen just little more than a week ago.\nThis is like shooting fish in a barrel.\nIt's obvious that the music school has learned its lesson, and it's time we all let them do what's necessary to prevent it from ever happening again. But we're confident that it will not. The sheer amount of complaints and slanders that have flooded one of the nation's top musical institutions have probably left a proverbial scar that will not easily be forgotten.\nIf students are responsible for their possessions, then the University is just as responsible to be upfront about the security of said possessions. Only then can a student feel confident in leaving a $20,000 violin in the safe confines of the IU School of Music.