Turn On The Lights!
Campus Needs More Illumination
Dan Murtha
Issue date: 11/1/08 Section: Opinion
Mercy College's Dobbs Ferry Campus needs to pay more attention to security.
It is getting dark really early these days. The sun goes down, and it gets dark.
Suddenly, there are plenty of dark corners around campus, especially at the far end of the parking lots, down near the river. There are stands of trees and bushes over near Mercy Hall and the tennis courts that could be great hiding places for miscreants. The lack of lighting can make late night classes even more daunting than they already are.
Figures from the U.S. Department of Education show that each year thousands of violent criminal offenses are committed on the nation's college campuses. Although Mercy has a good reputation for safety, and the Village of Dobbs Ferry is not exactly lawless, we shouldn't wait for something bad to happen to improve our facilities.
It has been refreshing to see our security guards more often this semester. It seems they are expanding their patrols. The new "blue-light" system also seems to provide a further safety net. But more can and should be done around campus so that no one's walk to the car or train becomes nerve-wracking.
Who is that sleeping in their car down there? And, excuse me, but why do you have your dog with you? Are you even a student here? Are those two smoking weed? Observant student may have the opportunity to ask themselves similar questions, and wonder how safe they really are on the Dobbs campus.
Mercy's students are required to obtain a Student ID, a simple card with their picture. I have never been asked to produce mine, and I haven't even heard it mentioned by anyone in nearly three years on campus. Maybe I am just not going to the right places.
Justice Department research demonstrates the dangers of complacency. Nearly 13 percent of women experience a stalking episode while in college. More than 1 percent are raped, the majority on their own campus. The idea of a maniac on a college campus is also nothing new.
A few extra lights and a thorough review of the campus's security protocols are in order. Hopefully, Mercy will make some moves to promote safety before something ugly happens.
It is getting dark really early these days. The sun goes down, and it gets dark.
Suddenly, there are plenty of dark corners around campus, especially at the far end of the parking lots, down near the river. There are stands of trees and bushes over near Mercy Hall and the tennis courts that could be great hiding places for miscreants. The lack of lighting can make late night classes even more daunting than they already are.
Figures from the U.S. Department of Education show that each year thousands of violent criminal offenses are committed on the nation's college campuses. Although Mercy has a good reputation for safety, and the Village of Dobbs Ferry is not exactly lawless, we shouldn't wait for something bad to happen to improve our facilities.
It has been refreshing to see our security guards more often this semester. It seems they are expanding their patrols. The new "blue-light" system also seems to provide a further safety net. But more can and should be done around campus so that no one's walk to the car or train becomes nerve-wracking.
Who is that sleeping in their car down there? And, excuse me, but why do you have your dog with you? Are you even a student here? Are those two smoking weed? Observant student may have the opportunity to ask themselves similar questions, and wonder how safe they really are on the Dobbs campus.
Mercy's students are required to obtain a Student ID, a simple card with their picture. I have never been asked to produce mine, and I haven't even heard it mentioned by anyone in nearly three years on campus. Maybe I am just not going to the right places.
Justice Department research demonstrates the dangers of complacency. Nearly 13 percent of women experience a stalking episode while in college. More than 1 percent are raped, the majority on their own campus. The idea of a maniac on a college campus is also nothing new.
A few extra lights and a thorough review of the campus's security protocols are in order. Hopefully, Mercy will make some moves to promote safety before something ugly happens.
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