We recently discovered a great concern by students regarding campus safety and were amazed to hear from dorm residents how frightened women and men often are.
We've heard stories of Peeping Toms, harassing phone calls, intruders at all hours and even assaults in the showers.
Reyes and Cieri said DPS doesn't regularly patrol the dorms because previous students didn't want this service, regarding it as a "Big Brother" type action.
DPS only goes to the dorms if they are called to do so.
There are only 20 officers to watch over 1,500 residents and many nights there is only one officer on duty.
They suggested that if students expressed their desire for more security, it might be possible to budget more money.
However, they said the biggest problem was that students seem unaware of their safety options.
They don't seem to appreciate the fact that a little inconvenience, such as locking bathrooms and ID check-ins, go a long way toward a more secure environment.
Three people were concerned about the lack of lighting, particularly in the parking lots where the lights are turned off early.
Anyone working nights has to walk in pitch dark from the lot to the dorms.
Also, students often open the back doors of the dorms for convenience, aware that security does not patrol often enough to keep unauthorized people out.
One resident was upset that bathroom locks are often taped open (again, for convenience) and that intruders have gotten in and harassed and assaulted women (this went unreported.) According to Finlayson and Kleinberg, plenty of literature regarding safety is handed out yearly, both in the dorm resident information packets and through DPS.
DPS also goes into the dorms every fall semester and gives a reportedly excellent program on rape and violence prevention.
Housing provides security through the paid Resident Directors Assistants program.
The resident directors and assistants, however, don't handle law enforcement.
According to Kleinberg, the dorms are patrolled three times each night.
Doctors are checked and locked, minor problems are handled and unusual activities are reported.
There haven't been individual floor monitors since 1970 because students at that time didn't want to be supervised and also because the budget was Finlayson said money has been allocated to improve dorm security next fall.
In response to student employee complaints, better lighting will be installed around the dorms.
A computerized card key access system will also be installed to prevent unauthorized entrance in the dorms.
Lost cards will be voided, averting costly lock changes.
Many students don't seem to realize they can report. Many students don't seem to realize they can report obscene or harassing phone calls and unusual activities.
Many don't know they can fill out cards requesting the telephone company to not include their names with their numbers in the directory.
Not only can students request better security, but they can provide better security by observing simple safety procedures, such as locking doors, using peepholes and reporting strangers.
Finlayson and Kleinberg agreed that students need to be more aware of their safety options and more willing to look out for themselves and each other.
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