Many students are discussing campus safety after the recent crime on campus, but few are utilizing programs offered by the University to protect themselves. The Student Union, Student Health Center and University Student Recreational Center offer programs that can aid students in protecting themselves but have seen only minimal increases since the recent string of on-campus crimes. Campus safety has been on the minds of students and faculty since the Dec. 13, 2007, double homicide on campus, followed by on-campus armed robberies Jan. 4, Jan. 22 and Feb. 6. The Union offers a Tang Soo Do martial arts leisure class that teaches many self-defense elements, but the class only has three students enrolled through the Union. Lynne Maxwell, leisure class coordinator, said two female roommates signed up Feb. 7 for the class. “It very well may have been influenced by the robbery,” Maxwell said. “But it also could have been because the class started on the 11th. It’s common for students to wait until the last minute.” The Student Health Center currently offers a Rape Aggression Defense Systems course for females interested in learning self-defense. Ashley Granger, wellness education coordinator and RAD coordinator, said three more students expressed interest in the program Monday, but attributes the increase to an e-mail notification sent out by RAD officials. Brinley Peters, biology freshman, said she is concerned about the crimes on campus, but cited limited time as a reason for not taking a self-defense class. “I’ve been meaning to take one because I think it’s something everyone should do,” Peters said. “I just haven’t had the time. It’s kind of my own fault.” Granger said she thinks students lack the initiative to take self-defense classes. “It seems that most people are reactive, not proactive,” Granger said. Tamara Jarrett, UREC director, agrees. “Everyone is waiting for someone else to make them safe,” Jarrett said. “People have to progress to taking the steps to protect themselves.” While the UREC does not currently offer a self-defense course, it does offer classes that could help in situations where self-defense is needed. “We offer a cardio combat martial arts class, and all martial arts have an element of self-defense,” Jarrett said. “Any activity that increases fitness or activity levels will be helpful.” Jarrett said because the UREC was offering the cardio combat class free of charge in the beginning of the semester, it’s hard to tell how many students were taking it because of the on-campus crimes. But she said she “has not heard any mention of the crimes.” Jarrett said a self-defense course will be created if there is a student demand for one. “We’ve done them in the past, when [Derrick Todd Lee] was stalking the community,” Jarrett said. “I think if the crimes continue, we’ll see an increase in interested students.” Kathy Saichuck, Wellness Education Coordinator and RAD instructor, said students followed a similar pattern during the time Lee, a convicted serial killer, was on the loose. “It wasn’t until the word ‘serial killer’ was mentioned that people began to call and show interest,” Saichuck said. Catherine Cousins, biology freshman, said she has not taken any added precautions since the crimes. “I’ve always taken precautions, but I usually feel safe on campus,” Cousins said. “It’s still kind of scary knowing that stuff like this happens on campus so close to home.” Cousins said she thinks this feeling of security may be why students have not enrolled in self-defense courses. Scott Tucker, economics senior, thinks the University and students are equally responsible for maintaining campus safety. “LSU has the responsibility to provide safety for all the students, but I think the students need to be aware of what they’re doing and the situations they put themselves in,” Tucker said.
—-Contact Katie Kennedy at [email protected]