Several changes and improvements are in the works to make AU's campus safer and better lit, according to student government and administration officials at a town hall meeting Tuesday night.
The meeting was held in response to the five unwanted sexual attacks that female students have experienced so far this semester, three of them occurring late last Wednesday and early last Thursday.
There is an investigator working on the sexual attacks cases, according to Colleen Carson, director of Public Safety. No one has been caught, but there are suspects.
"I think it's really important that we're working together on this issue," Women's Initiative Director Michelle Brownstein said. "It affects everyone on campus."
One of the main issues discussed was lighting on campus, an issue backed by some members of the General Assembly, the student legislative body.
"Campus lighting has been an issue that has plagued the campus at least as long as I've been here," said Student Confederation President Nick Terzulli, who is a junior.
He said the globe lights that were installed by the Kay Spiritual Life Center earlier this year were part of a push to add more lighting to campus. Several students suggested that more lights and emergency Blue Lights be added to campus.
Carson said that the Blue Lights have been up for about 10 years. In that time they have been activated three times, and each time Public Safety has taken less than three minutes to respond, she said.
"Three minutes is our goal for every emergency call," she said.
Pat Kelshian, executive director of Contract and Risk Management, said that one new light has been installed on campus, and four others are in various stages of being installed. She also said that more Blue Lights would be coming.
Terzulli said that he, Brownstein and Gail Hanson, vice president of Campus Life, walked around campus last month to see where more Blue Lights were needed. Students' suggestions for where to put these lights were taken into account, Terzulli said.
The Women's Initiative began testing the Blue Lights Tuesday night by randomly activating the lights around campus, Brownstein said. Public Safety does not know exactly when or where this testing will happen.
"There is general knowledge that there will be tests going on in the next few weeks:There are not specific times and places." Brownstein said. "This will not be the only time the Blue Lights are tested."
Hanson said that in the past, "we have really struggled with the replacement of burned-out lights." To change this, a Physical Plant employee will be assigned to walk around campus every morning between 4 and 5 a.m. to spot any burned-out lights, Kelshian said.
Another key issue was the new route shuttle drivers are taking this year.
From the Tenleytown-AU Metro station, shuttle drivers usually drop students off at Nebraska Hall, then the Ward Circle Building, then South Campus. Last year drivers typically stopped at Hughes Hall instead of Ward.
While Carson said that the larger buses Public Safety has this year make it harder for shuttle drivers to turn on the old route, GA Speaker Pro-Tempore and Committee on Student Life Chair stop at Ward at night, this leads to a long, unsafe walk across the main Quad for students who live on the North Side of campus.
However, Carson said that if students feel unsafe walking across the main Quad, they can ride the bus to the South Side stop and wait for the driver to go to Hughes Hall.
Terzulli said he would personally make sure that the shuttle buses have signs alerting students to this option.
Students and administrators also discussed increasing security in the residence halls. Several students said they have seen desk receptionists who let non-residents into the halls and fail to check every entrant for an ID.
Julie Weber, executive director of Housing and Dining Programs, said she would like to deal with desk receptionists who do not check for IDs.
"You are welcome to call me anytime, send me an e-mail, and tell me what shift someone didn't look up," Weber said.
However, she said regular students also have a role and often let non-residents into the halls.
"You are all very polite by nature," Weber said. "You hold the door for the person behind you. That makes it hard for the DR to differentiate: 'Is that your guest or not your guest?'"
She said she would like to see a second set of locked doors in every residence hall. These doors would be "any place that leads to residents' rooms" and would require ID card access from a resident, she said.
This idea is by no means firm as of now, as Weber is looking into the cost of these doors and their pros and cons, she said.
However, Residence Hall Association President George Melissinos said that when there is not a crisis like the recent spate of sexual attacks, students do not want more security in the residence halls.
Also, Public Safety will be offering self-defense classes next semester, Carson said. These classes were not offered this semester.
While the classes used to have a registration fee, they will be free from now on, Kelshian said.
It is important for students to report sexual assault and rape when they know it happens, Brownstein said.
"It's very much an issue of students taking responsibility and saying, 'Another student needs my help,'" Brownstein said.
