GSG airs concerns about campus safety

When night falls, the campus becomes a different place.

That was the message Graduate Student Government leaders had during their second annual safety event last night. They led two walks down paths on and around the campus in an attempt to expose university officials to areas graduate students say make them feel unsafe. About 10 graduate students attended the walk, during which two of the biggest issues GSG officials cited were inadequate lighting and crosswalk safety.

"After [9 p.m.] on a desolate walk to the library, there is an eerie feeling," GSG Vice President of Student Affairs Lenisa Joseph said.

Although the event mirrored last year's in participation and routes, GSG President Anu Kothari said holding the walk in December rather than May meant officials were able to see just how dark it gets by early evening hours, when many graduate students are still on the campus.

The GSG officials leading the walk were joined by University Police Capt. John Brandt, Resident Life Assistant Director Dennis Passarella George and Mark Wilhelm, assistant property manager of Graduate Hills and Graduate Gardens.

Throughout the event, which began and ended at Stamp Student Union, students pointed to unlit lamp posts as safety hazards. Many of the posts were not on the campus, however, and were therefore out of the university's control. Brandt told students they can report lighting issues on the campus to the Department of Facilities Management if they're concerned.

Other graduate students voiced worries about the safety of students while crossing the street and riding their bicycles.

Graduate student Anna Bedford asked university officials why the university did not have bicycle lanes to accommodate those who live in Graduate Gardens and Graduate Hills who use bicycles to get around. Brandt asked for patience as the campus bicycle advisory committee works its way towards a more cyclist-friendly campus.

One graduate student said having more crosswalks around graduate student residences would help mitigate safety issues along busy intersections. But because crosswalks require expensive upkeep and there are often limitations with paint along steep roads, Brandt said the possibility of new crosswalks is slim.

"It took us a year and a half to build one crosswalk, and we're probably not getting any more," said Brandt.

Echoing complaints from last year that some said still hadn't been addressed, students complained about late-night walks to parking garages.

"One of the most unsafe places on campus are the stairwells in parking lots," applied math graduate student Anne Jorstad said.

While multiple graduate student departments and campus police distribute written material to graduate students warning them of safety issues every year, Joseph and others said it isn't enough.

"There doesn't seem to be a good portal for students to learn about their safety," GSG Vice President for Legislative Affairs Karin French said.

To address the issue, Joseph said she intended to devise new ways to present safety information. She also plans to host a safety workshop next semester to inform graduate students of services they may not know about, like police escorts and NITE Ride.

However, Joseph admitted a university push for safety can only go so far.

"Whatever the situation, each individual has their own responsibility of how to interact with the material," she said.

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