This past spring semester at Georgetown University ended with reports of some serious crimes. These crimes led to an outcry among many students about the issue of safety on campus. In response, many students brought safety concerns about Georgetown’s campus to the attention of administrators. Fortunately, Georgetown’s administrators and staff have been here all summer working to address the issue of campus student safety, but safety is in our hands as students, too.

Through a successful partnership of Georgetown administrators and students, there have been a series of productive changes on campus this summer, both in terms of infrastructure and personnel.

The Department of Public Safety has a new director, Jeffrey Van Slyke. One of Van Slyke’s biggest initiatives is implementing community policing. This initiative seeks to inculcate trust through communication and accountability in the relationship between Georgetown students and DPS officers. This initiative will be starting in East Campus, where there will now be a DPS substation in LXR. Students will see DPS officers with protective equipment, which includes batons, OC (or pepper) spray and vests. DPS will also be introducing bike patrols for some officers.

The Georgetown administration has worked to improve safety in residence halls. University Facilities and Student Housing has been busy repairing, retrofitting and alarming doors across campus, specifically those that have been prone to being propped open or disabled (including doors in Darnall, Copley, Walsh, LXR and Henle). The Office of University Safety and the Office of University Facilities are often unaware of these issues until members of the Student Safety Advisory Board, resident assistants or hall directors let them know.

Another improvement is that all residence hall guards, both student and contracted, now have the same policies and procedures. In September, RAs, contracted security supervisors and Residence Hall Office staff will be required to attend one of three mandatory training sessions about the new, unified residence hall safety program.

Students should take personal ownership in campus safety by signing up for HOYAlert, the emergency text messaging, e-mail and call program that lets students and staff know of emergencies affecting our campus. This program is a critical tool for the Georgetown administration to disseminate information in a time of emergency. Students should familiarize themselves with two important Web sites: https://safety.georgetown.edu and https://preparedness.georgetown.edu. These sites serve as important resources for students to learn about emergency protocol and safety measures.

Students have a forum to make a positive impact on campus security by offering their wisdom to the Student Safety Advisory Board, a group founded in April 2004. I have found my time on SSAB to be very rewarding. We meet biweekly during the academic year to discuss campus and community safety issues. I know that our input helps make the Georgetown campus a safer place. E-mail ssabgeorgetown.edu if you are interested in adding your voice and knowledge to SSAB.

For better and worse, our university is located in an urban environment where crime does happen. It is important for all Georgetown students to be smart in terms of safety. This means actually taking simple measures like locking doors and traveling in groups when out at night. It also means taking ownership of safety on campus.

Too many times students notice problems with safety on campus and do not do anything about them. This is the impetus behind the new “Bark Up” campus campaign. If you see a problem at a residence hall’s security desk, call DPS to let them know. If you see a door propped open, close it, throw away the prop and then call DPS. If you see something else strange on campus, call DPS. Taking ownership in Georgetown’s campus safety can make a world of difference.

Eric Wind is a senior in the School of Foreign Service and a member of the Student Safety Advisory Board.

“