Spring Break
Virginia Tech shootings show need for campus safety
Erika McLean
Issue date: 4/19/07 Section: OPINION
Because of the unfortunate events that occurred at Virginia Tech yesterday, the Daily, as they should, contacted President Bataille and questioned her about the measures that should be taken on our campus in the event of an attack. Her response, needless to say, was alarming, and furthermore, I found it completely inaccurate.
Now, I have thus far been impressed by our new president, have personally spoken with her and received the immediate feeling that she is a driven woman with the goal of making NT a better university, but I digress. Her response to the question regarding campus security was, "We want to assure our campus community that if they are afraid for their personal safety that we have the resources to assist them." Is anyone worried yet?
She referred to the 51 phones on campus, the officers on campus, the lighting on campus and the fact that NT does not allow any individual to carry a gun on the campus.
Now, to pick these apart, the emergency phones are great and I believe are a necessity to the campus.
In regards to the officers on campus, my question is, what officers? When I am on campus, which is all day, every day, the only people in uniform I see walking around are the people that issue parking tickets. I never see officers patrolling internally, but have seen them driving around on the outskirts of campus. Now I'm not saying that this should be their duty 24 hours a day, every day, but they need to be present more often.
Next she addressed the lighting supplied around the university. How many times has the Daily voiced its concerns about campus lighting? Not only has the Daily addressed these issues, but students have as well. There have been improvements, but frankly, there are numerous spots on campus where I literally want to open my cell phone just to be able to walk with a little assistance.
Lastly, I want to address the rule forbidding guns on campus discussed by Bataille. At this point in the article, an immediate rush of relaxation fled through my body because of the ban of guns on campus. A rule alone will not and cannot stop anyone from doing something that they should not do. Unfortunately, there is no way to make sure that every door on this campus has a metal detector, but there needs to be more than a ban of weapons, and it is the job of the people "at the top" of the university to address this issue and other issues concerning safety.
As a student of the University of North Texas, I believe it is our responsibility to hold our president and the administration accountable in regards to the safety of every individual on campus. Bataille says, "We can't live in a state of fear." Well I say, make improvements, and we won't.
Erika McLean is a political science senior, and can be reached at erikam13@msn.com.
Now, I have thus far been impressed by our new president, have personally spoken with her and received the immediate feeling that she is a driven woman with the goal of making NT a better university, but I digress. Her response to the question regarding campus security was, "We want to assure our campus community that if they are afraid for their personal safety that we have the resources to assist them." Is anyone worried yet?
She referred to the 51 phones on campus, the officers on campus, the lighting on campus and the fact that NT does not allow any individual to carry a gun on the campus.
Now, to pick these apart, the emergency phones are great and I believe are a necessity to the campus.
In regards to the officers on campus, my question is, what officers? When I am on campus, which is all day, every day, the only people in uniform I see walking around are the people that issue parking tickets. I never see officers patrolling internally, but have seen them driving around on the outskirts of campus. Now I'm not saying that this should be their duty 24 hours a day, every day, but they need to be present more often.
Next she addressed the lighting supplied around the university. How many times has the Daily voiced its concerns about campus lighting? Not only has the Daily addressed these issues, but students have as well. There have been improvements, but frankly, there are numerous spots on campus where I literally want to open my cell phone just to be able to walk with a little assistance.
Lastly, I want to address the rule forbidding guns on campus discussed by Bataille. At this point in the article, an immediate rush of relaxation fled through my body because of the ban of guns on campus. A rule alone will not and cannot stop anyone from doing something that they should not do. Unfortunately, there is no way to make sure that every door on this campus has a metal detector, but there needs to be more than a ban of weapons, and it is the job of the people "at the top" of the university to address this issue and other issues concerning safety.
As a student of the University of North Texas, I believe it is our responsibility to hold our president and the administration accountable in regards to the safety of every individual on campus. Bataille says, "We can't live in a state of fear." Well I say, make improvements, and we won't.
Erika McLean is a political science senior, and can be reached at erikam13@msn.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 5
Iris Love-Hiltz
posted 4/19/07 @ 9:38 AM CST
I see officers walking on campus almost every day...but we could use more lighting in certain areas.
Ivan
posted 4/19/07 @ 12:20 PM CST
All school shootings have one thing in common: they occur in "Gun Free" Zones. The problem is that gun free zones only persuade law-abiding folks from not carrying a gun. (Continued…)
Cynthia
posted 4/19/07 @ 1:05 PM CST
I would not feel safe being in a classroom where classmates are carrying concealed guns, and I am sure that I am not alone.
Me
posted 6/13/08 @ 2:02 PM CST
...and keep the drunks off of campus! re: Monday, June 9, 2008, 03:02 Public Intoxication Arrest - Denton PD advised of a disturbance at Hickory and Bell, City of Denton. (Continued…)
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