Campus safety involves respect

By now many of us have made and perhaps broken our NewYear’s Resolutions, but I’d like to offer one thatshould endure: Resolve to be aware of issues related to personalsafety and to make decisions that avoid unacceptable risks tooneself and others.

Being safety-conscious also means being familiar with campus andother resources to call upon if you are the victim of wrongdoing.

The issues facing college campuses nationwide include the veryreal dangers associated with substance abuse.

These include under-age and excessive drinking and illegal useof drugs, including those that are intended to embarrass or harmothers, such as GHB and others commonly known as date-rape or”predatory” drugs.

Anyone tempted to experiment with date-rape drugs should thinkcarefully about how such use disrespects and violates the dignityand safety of others, the reality of injury to another human being,what it reflects about one’s own values, and the potentialcriminal and legal ramifications — hardly the ingredients for”having a good time.”

In addition, date-rape drugs can be lethal, especially whenmixed with alcohol.

According to recent “social norms” survey examiningdrinking habits at SMU, the majority of students report that theydo not drink to excess.

But for those who do, the hazards are numerous —physically and emotionally, not to mention academically. Inaddition, students who choose to consume any amount of alcohol,even in moderation, should be aware that an individual’scapacity to drink without becoming intoxicated varies with bodyweight and other physiological factors, including possibleinteractions with prescription drugs.

What may seem safe and responsible for one person may not be foranother.

It’s also important to be aware that the effects ofdate-rape drugs often mimic those of severe intoxication: symptomssuch as loss of inhibitions and memory and often, loss ofconsciousness.

Therefore, being careful with alcohol consumption can help intwo ways: it can avoid the dangers of intoxication and it can keepan individual more alert to his or her surroundings, better able toprotect oneself against the possibility of harm.

The various posters and information flyers around campus containreminders of precautions that should be a part of everystudent’s safety mindedness — such as never leavingdrinks unattended, not accepting drinks from strangers or thoseother than hired servers, not sharing drinks and using the buddysystem to watch out for each other.

As the campus flyers advise, anyone who believes he or she hasbeen drugged should immediately call for help and be tested at theHealth Center or an area hospital.

SMU Police should be notified immediately if a crime hasoccurred on campus and can alert emergency medical services.

In addition, SMU resources such as the Counseling Center,Women’s Center, Health Center, and the Center for Alcohol andDrug Abuse Prevention are available to provide assistance.Reporting rape, whether associated with drugs or not, enables SMUto provide help to the victim, understand the breadth of theproblem, devise informational programs, and hold offendersaccountable for their actions. At the same time, federal privacylaws ensure that an individual’s medical testing andtreatment will be kept confidential.

It may be difficult for students, especially first-yearstudents, to imagine that a campus or any community might include afew individuals who would cause harm to others.

Ours is a friendly environment that engenders a sense of comfortand security.

But any community, no matter how warm and welcoming, may harborthose who simply may make bad decisions, even if the intent is notto cause harm.

For this reason, feelings of comfort and security should beaccompanied by a healthy amount of caution.

We take seriously our students’ safety, and all studentsshould be serious about the safety issues that exist on this or anyother campus, especially one in a major metropolitan area.

Please contact the campus resources listed above if you havequestions or concerns. And resolve to be safety conscious.

Best wishes for a rewarding spring semester.

R. Gerald Turner is President of Southern Methodist University.He may be reached at [email protected].