Concordia College banner theft

MOORHEAD — Concordia College has banners set up all around campus by the marking and communications department every year. This year there been noticable change in the amount of banners around campus due to theft.  

 Josh Lysne, vice president of the communications and marketing department on campus, is involved in designing and purchasing the banners. He has worked at Concordia for eight years.  

“(The practice of stealing banners) didn’t start when I came on board. It’s always been a thing,” Lysne said.  

The banners include slogans such as “It’s a great day to be a Cobber!”, as well as promotional messages like “17 Fulbright Scholars in the Past 10 Years” (the Fulbright Scholarship is a grant provided to international individuals who wish to study in the United States) intended to recruit students.   

While the banners might be an asset for the marketing team, some students don’t think the banners are necessary.  

“At the beginning of the year, it looked really nice when all of them were up” first-year student, Fenley Grumann said. But by mid-Oct. these they have served their purpose and are no longer necessary, Grumann continued.  

As of the time of publication, only about half of the banners remain on the light poles. 

“The ones next to the benches are easy to reach. Those get taken pretty quick,” former student, Aleisha Schock said. Schock stole a banner during the 2021 fall semester. 

Many of the banners that have been stolen are the ones from central campus, around the bell tower. As of Oct. 6, the banners in front of the Integrated Science Center have all been taken, leaving the light poles bare. About every other light pole around Knutson and the bell tower have had its banner taken.  

“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal,” Schock said. “The only reason they’re there is for prospective and incoming students to see what Concordia has to offer. They don’t cost much to print. Tuition is high so they can pay for it.” 

Lysne had a different take on it, equating students taking banners with any other type of thievery. 

“I think it’s a big deal in the same way that it’s a big deal if you walked into a store and stole a $50 shirt,” Lysne said. “It’s really not different. I would turn it over to student conduct because it is theft.” 

The banners cost about $50 a piece, and Concordia orders between 30 and 35 banners per school year, depending on how many banners are still in storage and are in good condition, Lysne said. 

Currently, there are no preventative measures put in place by campus security or the communications and marketing department to stop students from taking these banners. 

“Don’t steal banners,” Lysne said. “Especially when we’re coming into Homecoming week, you want the campus to look good. I do think that with those pops of color and that brighttness adds to the visual vibrancy of campus.”