1) Jared Barrows’ Death – April 15, 2007Jared Barrows, a senior at PSU, was seriously injured in a fight with first year Benjamin Grew. Barrows had suffered a blow to the head, resulting in a drastic increase in intracranial pressure. Barrows was rushed to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical center and later died of various complications. Barrows’ assailant, Grew, was charged with second-degree assault and negligent homicide.
2) Two Students Stabbed in a Brawl – December 2, 2005 Sophomores Ken Murphy and Rob Stewart were stabbed in a fight late on Nov. 29, in front of 28 Tobey Rd, the location of the sorority XAZ. Both boys were treated at Speare Medical Center for their injuries.
3) Red Sox Riots – October 10, 2003, Oct 22, 2004 and Oct 30, 2007Plymouth State has done a lot of rioting the past few years. The ’03 riots occurred when 700 students gathered around a fire fed by couches, picnic tables and anything else available on Russell Street after the Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics for the American League victory. The ’04 riots occurred over the Red Sox famous victory over the New York Yankees. Close to one thousand students lined Russell Street at the peak of the riots, and the chant of “Yankees Suck” could be heard for the better part of an hour. Students had to be broken up with pepper spray filled paintballs and tasers. The ’07 riots occurred after the Red Sox won the World Series. Several hundred students filled the center of campus and proceeded to rip down lamp posts, kick in windows and cause general mayhem.
4) PSC Okayed to become PSU – November 1, 2002Plymouth State College became Plymouth State University at the beginning of the 02-03 school year. The USNH Board of Trustees approved the name change on Oct. 29, 2002. The change was made for various reasons, most prominently to receive greater recognition for the quality of a Plymouth State education. After the change was approved by the legislature, it became the fourth name change that PSU has undergone.
5) Blair Basement Fire -February 8, 2001Blair Basement was aflame in Feb. 2001. The fire was appearently started by a candle left burning in room 112. 75 students were displaced for the night, 23 were placed in alternative housing. The damage caused by the fire, including smoke, heat and water damage cost $50,000 – $80,000 to repair.
6) Women’s Rugby Hazing – Nov 7, 2008. Six women’s rugby players were arrested on Oct. 29 for various charges, including hazing. The charges against the veteran players ranged from facilitating an underage drinking party to simple assault and possession of controlled/narcotic drugs. The charges against the rugby team were later dropped.
7) Grafton Fires – Oct 29, Nov. 18 and Nov. 23, 2008There is a good deal of fire in PSU’s history. However, in 2008 there were a string of fires that struck Grafton Hall. Three fires, two in the trash cans in the 3rd and 7th floor girls bathrooms and one on the bulletin board in the 2nd floor lobby, displaced students for hours at a time during the alarms, and the fires sparked a total investigation for felony arson. The causes of the fires were suspect for some time, and various explanations were given for the trash can fires, including a scorched soup bowl. A suspect was arrested later in the year for the both the fires in Grafton and one fire in Smith Hall.
8) Sara Jayne Steen Chosen as new President of PSU – May 12, 2006In a revolutionary change, Sara Jayne Steen was chosen as the first female president of Plymouth State, whether it be Plymouth State Teacher’s College, PSC or PSU. President Steen replaced former President Donald Wharton, who served as President at PSU for thirteen years.