An Eye on Campus Safety

  • By Deb Moore
  • 07/01/12
Budget cuts are running deep, affecting both faculty and facilities. For facilities, this may mean putting construction projects on hold or deferring maintenance. For staff, this may mean faculty layoffs or cuts to security staff. Spread too thin, this can create a dangerous situation on campus.

In 1990, the Clery Act was enacted, requiring institutions to provide annual statistics on campus crimes. Data collected for 2010 shows the following events occurred on campuses across the United States:
  • Criminal offenses on campus: Murder (15), Forcible sex offenses (2,936), Robbery (1,819), Aggravated assaults (2,532), Burglary (22,222), Motor vehicle theft (3,624), Arson (742)
  • Arrests on campus: Weapons (1,220), Drug abuse (19,245), Liquor law violation (32,800)
  • Disciplinary actions: Weapons (1,449), Drug abuse (42,067), Liquor law violation (186,478)
  • Fires: Fires (2,341), Injuries (46)

Statistics certainly tell a story, but data is only as good and those who enter it or those who interpret it. In his book School Violence, Stuart Henry, B.A., Ph.D., professor of Criminal Justice and director of the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University, states that we often define the problem of school violence too narrowly. The focus is usually on interpersonal violence between students or by students toward their teachers. When in reality, any instance of crime or violence at a school not only affects the individuals involved but also may disrupt the educational process and affect bystanders, the school itself, and the surrounding community.

In our own June 2012 survey on college housing, student safety and security concerns were raised by a number of the responding colleges and universities. Their concerns included:
  • The increasing number of students arriving on campus with mental health issues and the institution having the resources to support them,
  • the fact that many students do not feel they should be held accountable for breaking rules and that some students seem to lack a sense of boundaries, and
  • a lack of civility.

In this issue you will find our special section of campus safety. Hopefully you will find some tips to make your campus a safer, more secure environment.

Featured

  • Fellowes Launches New 3D Modular, Product Configurators

    Contract interiors and architectural solutions provider Fellowes recently announced the launch of new 3D modular and product configurators for several of its product lines, according to a news release. The new products offer SIF file integration and pricing for the Volo, Markerboards, Sena, and Rising product lines in connection with 3D Cloud, which provides 3D product visualization and 3D digital asset management.

  • Austin International School Library Renovation

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Austin International School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • New Jersey PreK–12 School Breaks Ground on New STEM Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently announced that it has broken ground on the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the design of the new facility, which will provide the school with space to expand its STEM and business education classes.

Digital Edition