University of Maryland officials will install locks on bathroom doors in Centreville Hall after a man twice entered women's showers in the College Park dormitory and groped women within the past two weeks.
The combination key-pad locks will be added at the request of building residents who attended meetings conducted by the campus resident life department Wednesday night.
"That was important to us because that's their home and that's their building," said Patricia Mielke, director of resident life.
The locks will be added only to bathrooms in Centreville Hall, she said yesterday. Installation will begin today.
The dormitory was also the site of three Peeping Tom incidents in February.
Mielke urged campus residents to confront strangers following them into dormitories, close any propped-open doors and report concerns to campus police.
Campus women were the victims of another invasion early Wednesday morning when an intoxicated man entered a room shared by two women and climbed into bed with one.
According to campus police reports, College Park student James Lipovsky left a party in Elkton Hall, entered a room on another floor, and climbed into a bed as its occupant slept. The man was clad only in a T-shirt.
The room's residents woke up and demanded he leave, threatening to call police. No sexual advances were made, police reports stated.
Lipovsky was arrested Wednesday night, campus police said, and charged with misdemeanor burglary and trespassing. He has been released on personal recognizance.
Lipovsky could not be reached for comment.
Campus police are contacting witnesses to determine if the case of the intoxicated man and the shower incidents might be related.
Cpl. Mary Brock, campus police spokeswoman, said that Lipovsky does not match the Centreville victims' description but that police have not ruled out a link.
Pub Date: 4/24/98
