Campus safety
These days one cannot be too cautious on a college campus. With attacks on students, shootings and rapes occurring throughout the nation, it is good to be on the look out.
How safe are students on campus? At the College of Eastern Utah, 10 students were interviewed on how safe they felt. “For the most part I feel pretty safe, we live in such a tight knit community that we don’t have much to fear,” said Nate Davis.
This archived article was written by: Dave Adams
These days one cannot be too cautious on a college campus. With attacks on students, shootings and rapes occurring throughout the nation, it is good to be on the look out.
How safe are students on campus? At the College of Eastern Utah, 10 students were interviewed on how safe they felt. “For the most part I feel pretty safe, we live in such a tight knit community that we don’t have much to fear,” said Nate Davis.
Alex Herzog, dean of students, stated “we are fortunate to not have many problems so far on campus; we have a great security program with up grades on the way and are happy with the way our students behave like responsible adults.”
CEU campus is patrolled 24 hours a day; with undisclosed shift changes, our security is partnered with the local law enforcement. James Prettyman, head of CEU security stated, “the average response time for anywhere on campus is five minutes.”
Personal safety on campus is a big deal for the college and it won’t go over looked, stated Herzog. Students need to be aware of their surroundings at all times. Some other safe practices students can use is the buddy system. Never go alone especially at night; even big strong jocks that think they are indestructible can be a target. Students that get out of class late, can always call and have a member of security escort them to their vehicle or dorm room, Prettyman said.
In the dorms, if someone were to go wrong; what would students do if in an emergency was to take place? How many students know the emergency numbers besides 911? Every year students who reside in the dorms receive a student handbook with all the emergency procedures that needed in case something bad happens.
Each dorm has a person who is the “charge of quarters,” you all know them as the RA. The college has trained these personnel to take charge in the case of an emergency. So if you don’t know, ask your RA. They should have the answer or they will direct you to someone who will.
Another tool that is rarely used, but often misused is the Blue Light System. Located outside the SAC, students can use this to call the dispatch when they are in trouble. Too many times though, it is abused and when that happens it is hard for security to do their job.
Updates that are soon to come include, a new surveillance system; a grant was awarded to CEU for approximately $130,000 for a new camera system, that will be watched 24/7.
Students may assist the security personnel by reporting suspicious activities. “If it looks suspicious it probably is suspicious,” said Prettyman. Reporting such behavior is good, in a sense that it keeps everyone honest.
