How Safe Do You Feel on Campus?

The university’s police station is located in the Hemlock Suites. Photo Credit / Amy Lukac
The university’s police station is located in the Hemlock Suites. Photo Credit / Amy Lukac
The university’s police station is located in the Hemlock Suites.
Photo Credit / Amy Lukac

By Victoria Costello

SC Staff Writer

A popular question amongst prospective students and their parents is simple: “How safe is the campus?”

Here at ESU, between the combination of campus police, regional police, the blue light safety system, and residence hall staff present at the entrance of all on-campus dormitories, I’d say I personally feel pretty safe.

When walking around campus during the day, I don’t feel an ounce of anxiety or worry about my safety. Walking around campus at night can be slightly more worrisome, as it is walking around anywhere at night.

ESU’s student escort service is a safe way to navigate the campus at night if a student doesn’t feel safe walking, and they’re a quick phone call away. However, it is important to note that the student escort service only escorts students to places on campus.

When I spoke to Genevieve Adair, a senior majoring in public health, about her thoughts on campus safety, she said, “I feel like there’s enough police presence on campus, but just because they’re there doesn’t mean they’re making us safer. There was one time I really needed the police because I was being followed and I was extremely scared and they said they would pick me up, but then retracted what they said. The police didn’t offer me any assistance.”

I feel that the police and the student escort service should service more than just ESU’s campus to escort students if they’re feeling unsafe.

We don’t all stay on campus, and sometimes, like Genevieve’s situation, we find ourselves in need of assistance, but since she was at CVS, the police couldn’t help her. She was out of their jurisdiction, although she was within close proximity to campus.

When students are on campus, it’s brightly lit and there are blue safety lights than can be pressed to alert the police whenever someone feels unsafe. If a student is off campus, it may not be as brightly illuminated, and there are no blue lights to keep students safe.

Safety anywhere, whether it be on or off campus, hinges upon making smart decisions and keeping yourself safe.

Walking with friends at night, keeping doors and windows locked, not studying alone in an isolated area, and knowing the University police phone number are all important in staying safe.

Additionally, it’s crucial to report any suspicious activity to the University police to keep ESU’s campus a safe one.

Email Victoria at:

vcostello@live.esu.edu