Norwich classrooms have been hit recently with several acts of costly vandalism, much of it affecting expensive electronic equipment, according to campus officials.

If the trend continues, the cost to repair and replace the equipment could be passed along to students’ tuition and technology fees.

So far, the vandalism has already cost the school more than $5,000, said Robert Berkey, director of User Support Information Technology (IT) Services.

“Student tuition for technology fees will go up in order to offset the increased cost that the institution is faced with because of vandalism,”  Berkey said.

One of the most recent acts of vandalism took place at the end of February when an 8-foot wide screen was damaged, said Jon Spaulding, a user support agent for IT services.

The school also might have to consider restricting student access to classrooms when classes aren’t in session, Berkey said.

“(Students) don’t realize how much tech is,” said Dan Abernathy, an AV technologies specialist and part-time freshman CSI major. “It also stops other jobs from being completed, and the work gets piled up.