Living on a college campus does not guarantee safety.
Daren Capirchio, assistant director of residential life, thinks some residential students have a false sense of safety when they come to college.
“We’re an open campus and we don’t have an ivory wall around us. People can come in from outside. People sometimes feel that we’re on a college campus, I’m safe. That’s becoming less and less true as time goes on. Students just need to be aware,” he said.
Students can start being aware by plugging information into their phone, like public safety numbers, NOVA alert and emergency contacts, Capirchio said. Students can label emergency contacts “ICE,” which stands for in case of emergency.
Shane Lam, associate director of field operations in the Department of Public Safety, said students should also carry their shark card with them wherever they go because it allows Public Safety to identify individuals who might not be permitted within an area.
Judeline Antenor, freshman nursing major, thinks students aren’t concerned about safety because of all the security already in place on campus.
“If you don’t have an [ID] card, you either can’t get in or someone has to let you in. Even if it is an open area, there is a limit to how far someone can go. If you don’t have an [ID] card you can’t get anywhere beyond sliding doors,” she said.
Lam said locking doors is also an important way to help ensure personal safety.
“Minimizing vulnerability is one of the keys to preventing crime. A criminal looks for and exploits perceived weaknesses,” he said.
Capirchio agrees and said most issues regarding stolen items are because a bedroom door was left unlocked.
“One thing we encourage is when you’re in your room and want to communicate with your neighbor next door or across the hall that once you leave your room, lock your door. [Leaving doors unlocked] is a habitual problem in all of the residence halls,” he said.
Capirchio also said that in the apartment-style dorms, students need to not only lock the main door, but also their bedroom door.
Lam said if a resident finds their door open or sees signs of forced entry, they should not enter but call Public Safety immediately.
He also advised students to be aware of their surroundings, remain in well-lit areas, wear clothing that does not restrict movement and don’t walk alone at night.
Capirchio said his office talks to students constantly about traveling together on campus.
“This goes for our male residents as well as female residents. As a male, there’s no difference. If someone is going to rob you or attack you, they will still do it,” he said.
Antenor agreed, “I think [walking in groups] helps because it reduces the risk of someone trying to hurt you because if he or she sees you with a group of people, he or she won’t be stupid enough to go after you if there’s one of them and three or four of you.”
Capirchio said residents are also responsible for their guests’ actions. In the Goodwin, Commons and Rolling Hills residence halls, there is a sign-in process at the front desk and residents should ensure that their guests sign in.
“It’s extremely helpful because it provides us with information we wouldn’t have normally. Whenever we have a situation in a hall, we can audit who is in the building,” Capirchio said.
However, Mikaela Myers, junior art major, thinks the sign-in sheet is inconvenient for visiting students.
“It’s a pain because I go visit my friends in the Commons almost every day and when I sign in they start keeping track of me and tell me I can’t go see my friends. You can only go in a certain number of times. It’s just a pain because I might be going in for five minutes and leaving and I have to sign in,” she said.
Founders, Farquhar, Vettel and CLC residence halls do not have a front desk, but the same guest policy applies, Capirchio said. Residents are responsible for their guests.
Students should also ensure that their property is being watched at all times. Lam said students place a high value on personal safety, but sometimes neglect safe guarding personal property.
“This is occasionally evident when students leave bags, computers cell phones and books unattended. Unattended valuables make an easy target for theft and should always remain in your control. Crimes of opportunity, or theft, are the most prevalent but at the same time, the most preventable,” Lam said.
Students should also always report any suspicious activity. Lam said the Public Safety Department holds student safety in the highest regard. Part of their mission is to be safety centric and rooted in supporting excellence in learning.
