Cabrini College’s public safety held a “safety walk” that encouraged students to discuss their thoughts on campus security and make suggestions for how to improve different areas of the campus.
The walk took students around Cabrini on Wednesday, March 10. It was led by Howard Holden, director of facilities, and Lil Burroughs, director of public safety, who were both eager for students to voice their opinions.
“You [the students)] are the primary users of the campus. You’re the ones that are out here walking on a daily basis going from one facility to another, more than the rest of us, and that’s why we want to bring you into the picture, to get student perspective participation in the process,” Holden said.
Holden and Burroughs talked with students on the walk and brought up campus issues like lighting, paths to residence halls and buildings and parking.
“I believe that students are technically the paying customers and we care about what they say. I feel that I can say, ‘I want lighting,’ but you as a student have a stronger voice to get the lights rather than an employee at the school. I want students to always speak out, especially for safety purposes,” Burroughs said.
According to Holden the college will be undergoing a “master plan process” to alleviate many campus safety issues like parking, lighting and pedestrian issues. Any measures that are currently being taken are temporary to ensure students’ comfort and safety on the campus.
The Student Government Association participated in the event.
“I think it is good that they’re doing that. In the past they have made little changes to the campus where they needed to, but I think it’s good they are finally making bigger changes,” Maryellen Anastasio, junior communication major and SGA president of the junior class, said.
Holden and Burroughs also went over many precautions that public safety has already taken such as the new “S.O.S boxes” around campus that contain salt for the bad weather, the emergency call boxes and newly installed lights.
“I am happy we get to have these safety walks. I always hear my friends complaining about lighting on campus. My number one thing was the lighting behind the library so I am happy I got to talk to Holden and Lil about these issues,” Lauren Galonski, senior psychology and sociology major and SGA president, said.
Holden and Burroughs both stressed that they want the students to always feel comfortable and never hesitate to call public safety if they need them or just want to make a suggestion.
“A campus changes faster than most people think and we want to make sure that on an annual basis we are keeping up with those changes in the eye of the students, not just our eyes,” Holden said.
