Another college thread...safety

[bcla]

Here's an article on the USC incident I mentioned.

http://dailytrojan.com/2012/05/17/parents-of-shooting-victims-file-suit-against-usc/

Yang said that the incident was a random act that occurred off campus, for which USC is not legally responsible.

“That’s simply some crazed and deranged person acting out and USC has no liability for that nor should they,” Yang said.

Newman, however, said he believes his clients were intentionally misled because the graduate admissions website maintains that USC provides 24-hour law enforcement in surrounding neighborhoods.

“Some parts are [patrolled]. Some parts aren’t. I think that is misleading,” Newman said. “They are very smart people and I assume when they say something, they have thought about it.”​

USC has an interesting public safety department. They're not technically police, but they do have authorization from the LAPD to carry weapons and perform arrests relating to their duties patrolling the campus. They may also have an agreement that they can patrol the area off campus to some degree. There are a few other similar private schools with a similar arrangement with their city's police or the county sheriff. Stanford University has a public safety department with armed personnel who are sworn in as reserve sheriff's deputies. They're completely paid and equipped by the university but as reserve deputies they have full law enforcement powers. These are not the unpaid reserve cops who spend weekends doing police duties.

It's also interesting how some campus police departments operate off campus. I know where I went to school (UC Berkeley) the campus police has the express authority under state law to perform any policing within a mile of the campus proper as well as patrol university owned/operated properties. The university operates out of many buildings well off campus. However, they have a specific memorandum of understanding with the city of Berkeley as to which police have primary duties in specific areas. The area south of campus has the most foot traffic and some issues with vagrancy and criminals often targeting students. They run joint, coordinated patrols and each police agency has equal authority/responsibility under the MOU.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Of course you never stop worrying about your children. For the most part college campuses are safe places with campus security and systems in place for the protection of the students, like the blue lights. As others have said, when going off campus, try to travel in groups as much as possible. There is safety in numbers. Especially avoid walking alone at night. As far as using a cell phone, yes, have one handy for an emergency call, but it is actually better to not phone a friend, text, listen to music with earbuds, etc. since all those things make you zone out and are a distraction to being aware of your surroundings. It may make you more of a target for crime.

 

[wishesuponastar]

AppleDumpling - what you said about not being on a cell phone is very helpful. I did not think about that.

Just the other night, it was about 10pm and my 17yo daughter wanted to go jogging with her 14 yo sister. I did not feel it would be safe for them in the dark. Hopefully they will remember when they are on campus that you don't do certain things after dark.

 

[IDoDis]

When my DD leaves home and arrives on campus at night, i have her text me from the parking garage until she is in her room. It's a quick walk across the street, but parking garages are so secluded, so I want her on the phone with me. She's never felt unsafe. Last year a resident of her dorm was robbed at gunpoint outside of his building at 3:00am. That was scary to hear. But that could happen anywhere in the city. I had to engrain into DD to never feel too safe and to always be aware of her surroundings.

 

[scrapquitler]

We went to one college that has a sketchy area surrounding it. Another college we are going to is in a list of high crime cities in America. I sure hope my daughter doesn't go to either one of those but if she does how do you cope with the worry?

My daughter goes to school at a state university that is located in a sketchy neighborhood. We honestly are NOT particularly worried about safety. At night, the campus is lit up so much, it's almost like daylight, and 'campus security' consists of State Police Officers, who have a precinct office right on campus (which is very close to her dorm). Furthermore, there are emergency boxes all over campus, and an organized walking escort service that you can use if you wish. My daughter says she feels very safe on campus.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Thank you scrapquilter, that is the same thing at one of the colleges, that there are those emergency boxes and I believe campus police on bikes. Glad your daughter feels safe.

 

[teller80]

The other posters are right, you never stop worrying about your kids, and you just hope and pray they're ok.

Did you know that on-campus crime must be reported? I know it doesn't help with the sketchy neighborhood, but if you're curious you can look it up here:

http://ope.ed.gov/security/

 

[StephMK]

DD21 also goes to a state school that is downtown. It's hard not to worry! She works in the library and certain semesters did have to walk across campus later at night. Sometimes a male student would offer to escort her but sometimes she was on her own. I just told her to keep her cell handy and walk with a purpose. She says she has always felt safe. She lived off campus last year in a safe, residential neighborhood away from campus. This year, she is living downtown and we paid to get her a parking spot in the building instead of using a city parking garage. I did not want her parking in a public garage at night and walking home. In the past, she parked behind her sorority and never had any issues.

 

[christineann]

College campuses that I am familiar with have campus safety meetings at least quarterly to provide information to students about safety measures and how to avoid dangerous situations. Most also have a service provided by campus security or other students who have been vetted that will pick up students who need a ride home (from a late class, a meeting, the library - some even from bars).

 

[wishesuponastar]

The other posters are right, you never stop worrying about your kids, and you just hope and pray they're ok.

Did you know that on-campus crime must be reported? I know it doesn't help with the sketchy neighborhood, but if you're curious you can look it up here:

http://ope.ed.gov/security/

Teller80, thank you so much for that website! I will pass it onto DH so we can look at the colleges DD is interested in.

 

[Pembo]

I don't think campus crime is a problem and using common sense prevents off campus crime. My bigger concern is the amount of drugs on college campuses. There is A LOT of illegal drug use!!!

 

[HM]

As far as using a cell phone, yes, have one handy for an emergency call, but it is actually better to not phone a friend, text, listen to music with earbuds, etc. since all those things make you zone out and are a distraction to being aware of your surroundings. It may make you more of a target for crime.

When I mentioned being on the phone with someone....I didn't mean in conversation, but to have a line to someone open just in case. We've done this for our daughter when she had to park off-campus and catch a shuttle to her dorm and no friends could join her (she now has on-campus parking, thankfully). Thanks for clarifying the danger of being engrossed in other things.