In Section 2 In Sports Defense An-Associated Collegiate Press What's driving comes up Four-Star All-American Newspaper Miss in big Daisey opener page B 1 page Bl2 Non-profit Org. FREE U.S. Postage Paid TUESDAY Newark, DE Volume 122, Number 3 Student Center B-1 , University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 Permit No. 26 September 12, 1995 Student falls 13 stories to his death Robert Keepers' fist and followed through the window," accident. Brooks, who arrived on the scene Brooks said in an address to a "What happened was, at [around] near 2 a.m., had not slept since he had punch shatters congregation of students from both I :30, I heard glass breaking," Goldberg been informed of the accident. Windows Towers Saturday afternoon. "What recalled. "And then I looked out the ''This is not easy for me, so bear Towers window preceded that was some alcohol use and window and I heard people screaming. with me a bit," he apologized to the some real anger." That's why I looked out the window. Laird campus residents, whom he BY LARA M. ZEJSES reviewed Emertainmenr Eduor Keepers, a 19 year old from That's when I saw it." spoke to with red eyes and a quaking Scots wood, N.J ., was "pulseless on voice. "When we lose a student like A second-year criminal justice major arrival" at Christiana Hospital, said Robert, we all suffer as a community died early Saturday morning after Michelle Schiavoni, director of public See related ~tory on tremendously." after falling from a window in his 13th floor affairs for the Medical Center of According to Brooks, Keepers and apartmt;:nt in Christiana East Tower. alcohol, page 2 Delaware, Schiavoni also said multiple two non-student friends visiting from The student, Robert A. Keepers II injuries were sustained. Keepers' hometown were "huddled (AS FR ), was trying to "link up with tragedy At press time, Keepers' blood When Goldberg firs t saw Keepers, around the computer" in the bedroom. another student'" on the university's e­ alcohol content had not yet been he was on his side. He said he watched Eric Sigman (AS SO), Keepers' BY HEATHER MOORE maii system and "got frustrated when he Executive Editor released. the paramedics tum his body over. He roommate and best fri end of nine years, couldn't." said Dean of Students Ben Goldberg (HR SR) li ves in also said the body ''wasn' t bloody." was in the living room at the time of The fatal fal l of Robert A. Timothy F. Brooks. Keepers II from the 13th floor of his Keepers' building and was alone in his "I didn't see his hands," Goldberg the accident. "Best as we can figure out, in his third-floor room the night of the said. "But there was no blood." Christiana East Tower bedroom agitation he struck the window with his see TOWERS page AS window this weekend has left a lot Keepers of un answered questions for both students and administrators about the safety of the Towers' windows. There is a definite mood of confusion, shock and uncertainty UD employee around campus. Almost everyone is either pointing or ducking accusatory fingers. "The windows are so thick," said dies in apparent Jeanette Hieber (AS SO), who lives in the West Tower. "I don' t understand how someone could fall through." David Hollowell, senior vice suicide president, will lead a review University of Delaware in 1980 to committee formed to ensure that the Barbara work in the department of Housing windows meet safety codes. and Residence Life. "I asked the two gentleman who Rexwinkel, 47, "She was very much an advocate saw the student hit the window and for the students," said Butler. they told me he hit it with R exwinkel will be missed for tremendous force," Dean of was on leave more than her capabilities. Students Timothy F. Brooks said. "It's interesting; in the last two "He hit it so hard, it carried his body since June days I've received calls and e-mail through the window." from people all around the country, "The question on people's minds BY BILL JAEGER and there are a couple of common is: If you had a different kind of Copy Editor window would this be impossible?" A 4 7-year-old university things through all the messages," said Butler. "One was real shock. said David Butle r, executive employee and Newark resident died Another thing Barbara would have director of housing and conference the morning of Sept. S in an appreciated was a real caring. And, service s and o ne of Hollowell' s apparent suicide, accordin g to committee members. "My guess is Delaware State Police. unive rsally really positive memories. the answer is no." Barbara Rexwinkel, director of "If there was a chronic problem housing services, drowned herself in "I think whenever anyone dies it's difficult," he said. "Suicide with the windows, I would a toilet while s taying at the makes it extra difficult." anticipate more would've occurred," Rockford Center psychia tric Butler said. faci lities in Newark, police said. Butler said the emotions around the office were a mixture of anger, However, a few students who Statistics on any possible past said they believe the windows are suicides a t Roc kford were disappointment and deep sadness. The "element of recognition" is faulty cited another Friday night unavailable. Rockford officials had Towers windo w break as further no comment. growing in the people who knew her, he added. evidence. According to Executive Director According to T. Scott Cawood, of Housing and Conference ~ e xwinkel' s husband declined to comment. area coordinator for Laird Campus, Services David Butler, Rexwinkel a call came in at approximately 8:30 had been on medical leave si,nce According to Butler, Rexwinkel is survived by her husband, mother, p.m. Friday that reported a lacrosse June for personal reasons. father, and brother. ball or stick broke through the fi rst "We had no idea that she was According ·to M ary He mpe l, pane of a I Oth floor hall window in suicidal," said Butler. "The last time director of public relations for the West Tower, though no o ne was we talked, there was no sense of it." university, memorial service will inj ured. According to Butler, Rexwinkel be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. lS in The last time a student died from originally came to the universi ty in accidentall y falling out of a Towers the early 1970s as an area the Unita rian . Universalist Fellowship of Newark. Donations in window was in November of 1974. coordinator for the Dic kinson T hat was the las t full -scale complex. Butler said she enj oyed memory of Rexwinkel may be sent to the So uthe rn Pove rty Law investigation the administration the position and " formed a lot of Center, T eaching Tolerance conducted on the windows, which THE REVIEW I Alisa Colley good relationships and had a good Program, ATTN.: Calonda Brown, are the original doubled-paned glass TAKE THAT, DROUGHT! Dave Carino (AS SO) drinks up some of the drops that have response fro·m the students." here since the Towers were opened She left the university for a time 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery become a rarity in Newark while Jenn Hunton (AS SO) and Matt Scerbo (ED SO) do a Alabama, 36 104. in 1973. rain dance on North Mall. Friday's rain was New Castle County's first since Aug. 15 . to work for the University o f University officials, however, are Washington but returned to the see SUICIDE page AS see WINDOWS page A7 Accident lands freshman in hospital out the window, and he was laying that he wasn' t paralyzed ," Durbin Sean Kelleher in there," said Sean Holden (AS SO), said. who li ves in I 03 Pencader F. Holde n said about a n ho ur fair condition " I asked him if he was OK, and I before the fall , the reside nt got no response. I took his pulse, it assistants on duty walked around after Saturday was about 80 or 85, and he was Pe ncad e r te lling people to stop . breathing in convulsion-like short sitting on the balcony ledges. morning InJury gasps," said Holden, who is CPR Dean of Stude nts Timothy F. certified . Brooks said alcohol was involved BY JIMMY P. MILLER Editor in Chief Kelleh er, who li ve d in 301 in the incident. P encader F , suffe red a broke n Kelleher's father, Dennis, said A freshman c rimina l justice coll arbone, two cracked vertebrae, Se an was moved o ut of the major was in fair condition a punctured lu ng, several cracked inte ns ive care unit and into a Monday after falling off hi s third ribs and head injuries. private room Monday. Howe ver, story Pencader F balcony Friday Ke lleher was admitted to the Sean will not be home unti I at least night, a C hris tiana Hos pital nue rosurgical c ritical care unit the end of the week and his father spokesperson said. ' · Sean A. Kelleher (AS FR) of Saturday mo rning, the hospita l is not sure when Sean will return to spokesperson said. classes. Ne wark. was s itting on the THE REVIEW I Christine Fuller As of Monday afternoon " It's your worst nightmare as a U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno comes to Wilmington to t balc ony led ge with one leg Kelle her was awake and Kelleher parent," Sean's father said.