Students must unite for safety
Media reports, both on and off campus, late last semester shouldserve as powerful reminders of the constant need to keep each othersafe. Our beautiful campus and secure neighborhood might cause usto forget the realities of living in one of the biggestmetropolitan areas in the world. This semester, I hope each of uswill keep in mind our safety while on and off campus.
The university and its administration, along with studentinvolvement and input, is taking action to increase safety inseveral ways. There is a campus ride program available through theuniversity’s police department. Students can call (214)768-3333 or use a blue light phone and an officer will come providea free ride to another location on campus. Should you ever needpolice assistance, on campus dial 8-3333 or 911 and never hesitateto use a blue light phone — be it on the quad, in the parkinggarages, or at the edge of campus.
During finals, extra precautions were taken around the libraryand parking garages to accommodate late night studiers. We willwork with the administration to ensure similar precautions aretaken this spring. Additionally, President Turner formed a drugeducation task force to look into the possible extent of theproblem of designer drugs and GHB on our campus and our educationalefforts. Serving as student voices on this group are Residence HallAssociation President Gretchen Peter and Interfraternity CouncilPresident Carl Anderson.
As always, should you want to provide input or voice yourconcerns, please don’t hesitate to stop by your student bodyofficers’ offices on the third floor of the Hughes-TriggStudent Center.
Aside from the above measures, being alert is the most importantaction we can take. Earlier this year, it appeared we had a bikethief visit and steal repeatedly on our campus. The police wereable to apprehend the individual only after a student, walking outof his residence hall for class, spotted who he thought to be asuspicious person around a bike rack. The student then called SMUPolice who immediately put the bike thief in prison and away fromour campus.
That story is one of many in which community policing works. Weare fortunate to have a skilled police department serving ourcampus, but they cannot be everywhere all the time.
It cannot be said enough: Should you see suspicious activity— someone who doesn’t belong loitering in the parkinggarage, a library, or an academic building, someone cruisingthrough a parking lot, or a collection of other suspicioussituations, use a blue light or call 8-3333. There is no harm inhaving the police check out a potential criminal on our campus.
Look out for each another. If you haven’t seen yourroommate all day and don’t know why, try to find him or her.If you can’t, call SMU Police and let them know. The oldsaying rings true: It is better to be safe than sorry.
SMU is our home, even for those of us who live off campus, andwe must work with the university to protect our campus and protecteach other. Join me in doing your part to keep SMU safe.
Thomas Kincaid is the student body president. He may bereached at [email protected].
