In anticipation of Saturday's rivalry game, the BYU Amateur Radio Club will join forces with the BYU Police Department to try and stop overzealous University of Utah students from vandalizing campus during Red Week.

"Red Week is an event because of the height in the healthy rivalry between the U of U and BYU, and because we are so close to each other, both campuses are targets for vandalism from the other side," said David Springgay, president of BYUARC. "We, in conjunction with the BYU Police Department, help monitor, making sure our campus stays clean and without any major U's painted all over it."

Club members take shifts patrolling the campus between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Springgay said one year they found a red rock, which took three people to move, on top of the Y in the north entrance of the Wilkinson Student Center. Someone had taken the rock from the U of U campus and painted it red.

"One of our radio operators reported in that there was a giant red rock in front of the Wilk and that got reported to the police department and they brought a trailer and we got it on right before everyone came out," Springgay said.

The BYUARC has also found people painting U's on the windows of the David O. McKay Building and on other parts of campus.

Michael Robinson, former president of the club, said the No. 1 thing they find at night is freshmen doing stupid things.

BYUARC is also involved with several other events on campus such as the Rex Lee run and the Homecoming parade. The club meets in person once a month and every week over the airways.

"[BYUARC] is an opportunity that helps give back to the university and the community," said Jim Manookin, BYUARC faculty adviser.

Students interested in finding out more about the club can go to radioclub.byu.edu for more information.

"We know we have been able to prevent vandalism," Manookin said. "That is the most rewarding thing to know that your efforts have been worthwhile, that you have actually been able to prevent something that could have spoiled the enjoyment of the game or might have scared campus."



Copyright Brigham Young University 19 Nov 2007