Student safety is a growing concern for college campuses across the country that have witnessed a recent slew of school shootings. Representatives from two Louisiana colleges held a forum with safety specialists Monday night to provide students with the necessary resources and information to protect themselves. The meeting attracted about 20 people, including University students and community members. It was the first of several campus events planned for Public Safety Week. The forum featured six panelists, including representatives from the Baton Rouge Police Department, the LSU Police Department, Residential Life and the Student Government presidents of LSU and the Louisiana Technical College Baton Rouge Campus. Jeffrey Noel, SG director of campus development, said the organization plans to expand this year’s safety programs after recent nationwide university shootings. “Safety has always been a concern of LSUPD, the public safety department and the administration of this university,” said Gary Durham, LSUPD executive director and acting chief. Durham said students, faculty and staff have a safety perception problem. He said they feel as if they are in a “cocoon” and cannot be harmed. Durham said most people do not pay attention to their safety unless there have been recent acts of violence. “We need to all realize that we’re not invincible,” said SG President Cassie Alsfeld. Alsfeld said the Dec. 13 on-campus double homicide shocked many because “no matter what safety precautions are in place, we’re not going to be safe.” Sarah Landry, freshman leadership council member, said she feels safe on campus though she has recently become more watchful. Durham said students should be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activity to the police. He said after the past few months of news broadcasts, students should be aware of ways to stay safe. Alsfeld said many students wonder why the emergency text messaging system does not alert students of all major campus crimes. Rabalais said the system will only be used if a crime could cause immediate danger to the campus community or if student response is necessary. “On the text messages, our goal for that was to send as few out as possible, so people would take it seriously,” Rabalais said. Several students were outspoken at the forum. Stephen Martinez, SG assistant director of communications, said he is concerned about the safety level of the campus’ North Gates. Martinez said there are too many dark alleys near the gates, and the appearance of surrounding businesses may contribute to attracting crime. Durham said area businesses, University officals and city officials have all worked to improve the safety of the North Gates for the past few years. “We realize that the issues concerning campus safety extend beyond the gates of LSU,” Alsfeld said. Ravi Kavalipati, Indian Student Association president, said he is concerned about graduate students who work in their offices late at night. He said the University should work to provide campus transit after 2 a.m. for such situations. Kavalipati said he also hopes international student organizations are making their members aware of campus safety issues. He said ISA provides a campus orientation for all new students, which includes safety information. BRPD Lt. Carolyn Little said safety is a major concern for universities because many students are first introduced to “big city crime” when they move to a college campus. “It’s a personal mission for me to ensure that our students feel safe in this campus community,” Alsfeld said. Alsfeld said the main concern on campus is lighting. She said while it does meet required standards, she feels those requirements should be raised. Alsfeld said students should be made aware of their resources. Brittany Smith, freshman leadership council member, said she attended the forum because she wants to make herself aware of all available safety information. Little said students are ultimately responsible for their own safety. She said while the police are responsible only for responding to crime, they also work to help people to prevent it. “There are not enough police or officials in the world to be your personal body guards,” she said. Little said students should work to eliminate behavior that makes them attractive victims. Alsfeld said University students were “shaken” by the Dec. 13 on-campus double homicide. She said the event sparked interest in weaknesses of campus safety. Durham said LSUPD has recently assigned nine additional officers to the evening and night patrol team. Little said a single act of violence is the most difficult to anticipate. “This is a cruel world,” said Little. SG will have virtual suggestion boxes available through their Web site by the end of the week. One of the boxes will be dedicated to lighting concerns. Rabalais said the safety campaign must be continued all year.
—-Contact Emily Holden at [email protected]