2008 Woodie Awards
Senate discusses safety
Megan McClure
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: News
Friday's meeting of the Student Senate broke into an impromptu discussion about campus safety toward the end of the session, during the Senate's open forum.
External Affairs Chair Amber Suggs was the first to bring the matter up for discussion, citing a report from Senator William Krause about the response time of police in Cougar Village.
"I heard some disturbing reports regarding the police in Cougar Village," Krause said in the report. "I was told by this individual that they overheard and saw several older teenagers looking at cars in the Cougar parking lot and wondering if the car had an alarm system. This person reported the incident to the police and they told this person to stay and observe.
"From what I was told, the police never came to investigate the suspicious activity."
Krause also noted that he witnessed a separate disturbance in Cougar Village, and that police response time was "quite long."
"In the wake of the University of Memphis and Delaware State shootings, I think this is something that should be taken a look at," Suggs said. "I think safety should really be a concern."
Student Organization Advisory Chair Ankur Patel said the problem stems from the thin coverage of campus police, which includes coverage of Cougar Village and the campus residence halls.
"Unfortunately, they only have two to three officers on duty at a time," he said.
Student Trustee Christine Williams said the issue of campus safety has been a top priority of Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift, and Vandegrift is looking into installing security cameras in campus parking lots and tacking them on to his own budget. The matter will be discussed this Friday at the Parking and Traffic Committee meeting, she said.
"I'd like you all to know that this is something that is still being looked at by the Parking and Traffic Committee," Williams said.
Williams added that police representation shouldn't be a problem.
"We have at least two members of the police force that are on the Parking and Traffic Committee," she said.
External Affairs Chair Amber Suggs was the first to bring the matter up for discussion, citing a report from Senator William Krause about the response time of police in Cougar Village.
"I heard some disturbing reports regarding the police in Cougar Village," Krause said in the report. "I was told by this individual that they overheard and saw several older teenagers looking at cars in the Cougar parking lot and wondering if the car had an alarm system. This person reported the incident to the police and they told this person to stay and observe.
"From what I was told, the police never came to investigate the suspicious activity."
Krause also noted that he witnessed a separate disturbance in Cougar Village, and that police response time was "quite long."
"In the wake of the University of Memphis and Delaware State shootings, I think this is something that should be taken a look at," Suggs said. "I think safety should really be a concern."
Student Organization Advisory Chair Ankur Patel said the problem stems from the thin coverage of campus police, which includes coverage of Cougar Village and the campus residence halls.
"Unfortunately, they only have two to three officers on duty at a time," he said.
Student Trustee Christine Williams said the issue of campus safety has been a top priority of Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift, and Vandegrift is looking into installing security cameras in campus parking lots and tacking them on to his own budget. The matter will be discussed this Friday at the Parking and Traffic Committee meeting, she said.
"I'd like you all to know that this is something that is still being looked at by the Parking and Traffic Committee," Williams said.
Williams added that police representation shouldn't be a problem.
"We have at least two members of the police force that are on the Parking and Traffic Committee," she said.
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