Break-in at UMSU offices leaves employee in distress

Sign-in sheet at UMSU Service Centre a possibility, says Sharma

A break-in at the UMSU Service Centre has been referred to the Winnipeg Police Service, according to a university spokesperson.

A break-in at the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) Service Centre space occurred on Friday, April 4 around 6:30 a.m., according to UMSU president Divya Sharma.

One of the employee desks was looked through which “left the staff member in a lot of distress,” stated Sharma during the April 10 UMSU board of directors meeting.

“They didn’t take anything significant that we identified,” she told the Manitoban in a statement.

Sharma said that security footage has been provided to U of M Security Services. A spokesperson for the university confirmed the break-in and stated that the incident has been referred to the Winnipeg Police Service.

Sharma stated that UMSU “will be looking at putting a new policy in where we will be having a sign-in sheet at the Service Centre, so we know who comes there, we know what times they were there.”

“This is standard practice,” she said, noting that other institutions such as the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba have a similar procedure in place.

She added that in a separate incident this year, someone dropped off a cleaver at the UMSU Service Centre.

The UMSU Service Centre provides services to students such as Winnipeg Transit fares, referrals and directions to on-campus services and can provide answers to questions about the university or UMSU that students may have.

A full list of services provided by the UMSU Service Centre is available at umsu.ca/umsu-service-centre.