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Campus Safety Task Force
recommends actions
University officials plan to highlight and encourage the use of specifically designated pedestrian paths on campus and enlist the help of library employees to help enhance security across NC State.
Designating certain pathways as “all campus paths” and training library employees to participate in the security network within D.H. Library were two recommendations made by the Campus Security Task Force in its final report. David Rainer, associate vice chancellor for environmental health and public safety and co-chair of the task force, presented those findings at the fall general faculty meeting.
The university master plan describes NC State as a community of “neighborhoods and paths,” although many pathways exist throughout campus, Rainer said. The task force recommended designating certain walkways as “all campus paths” to be used when walking on campus at night. Rainer said these routes should be highlighted on campus maps and identified as preferred paths for use by pedestrians.
Campus police have already implemented bike patrols along various walkways, Rainer said. Additional lighting and emergency phones should also be added along the designated paths, Rainer said.
“We want people to know what these designated paths are and encourage people to use those paths,” Rainer said.
Rainer also outlined measures to enhance security in D.H. Hill Library by involving staff members those efforts.
“There has been a lot of discussion about how we can improve the feel of D.H. Hill Library,” Rainer said. “Most of you have been in D.H. Hill Library, and you know that it’s a fairly intricate building. There are stairwells all over the place, and there are elevators all over the place.”
Under the task force’s plan, library employees would receive security training and be provided with two-way radios to communicate directly with campus police. Staffers would also wear standard colored shirts and identification badges so they can be easily identified by library patrons.
“There are a lot of employees who are regularly in the stacks,” Rainer said. “We are going to use those employees as our eyes and ears. If people have problems or concerns in the library, they will be able to go to a staff member who will be able to communicate to campus police or somebody else on the library staff.”
The Campus Security Task Force was established in the fall of 2003 by former chancellor Marye Anne Fox to enhance safety efforts across campus. Although the task force issued its final report and recommendations in March 2004, Rainer said the group will remain intact and its work is ongoing.
“I can assure you that we are not a flash in the pan, and that we are continuing to take our role with respect to safety very seriously,” Rainer said. “The report that we issued was an extremely comprehensive report. We didn’t hold any punches back. We made recommendations to improve safety on campus that cover just about every entity and every individual. We are each following up with our colleges and departments, and we want to make sure the recommendations that were made are being implemented.”
The final report and recommendations
are available here.
Posted October 15, 2004
All Rights Reserved
