ASI backs plan for safety on campus

Responding to students' concerns about campus safety, members of the university community asked Associated Students Inc. to help with safety measures.

"The violence statistics on this campus compared to other CSU campuses is appalling," said Melanie Heath, a member of the Feminist Majority Leadership on campus.

According to the CSU Stanislaus Department of Public Safety, only eight other CSU campuses had a higher rate of violent crimes committed in 1995 and 1996. Of the 22 campuses in the system, only seven exceeded CSUS in 1997.

CSU campuses with continuing high rates of violence include San Jose, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay and San Diego. CSU, Stanislaus is among the campuses with the lowest rate of violence.

The Feminist Majority Leadership teamed up with People Advocating Safe Surroundings, the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Sacramento and the Straight-Queer Alliance and voiced their concerns at the board of director's meeting last Wednesday afternoon.

Members of PASS have organized a nightly student patrol to assist with providing safe surroundings for students who are on campus after dark.

"I don't know why safety is not a priority at this school, but it needs to be," said Wilson.

The organization will be patrolling Monday through Thursday evenings, Wilson said.

The CSUS Department of Public Safety's Student Right To Know report shows that there were two sexual offenses committed in January. Another sexual offense occurred in February, and two more happened in March. There were three sexual offenses in both April and July of 1998 -- in both months there was a forcible rape committed.

The Feminist Majority members urged the board members to address issues of inadequate lighting throughout campus, and more student accessibility to trained security/police officers.

"There isn't enough lighting," said Heath.

"These changes need to happen quite quickly. We do not want to let violent acts occur," said Wilson.

Jeremy Brickner, ASI director of health and human services, assured Wilson and the other advocators that he would introduce legislation at the board's next meeting outlining safety improvement measures.

"I would like to see more student input. Maybe we can form student forum on campus safety," ASI President Gary Davis said. He has even entertained the idea of creating an ASCSUS Safety Task Force.

Davis commended the members of the Feminist Majority, PASS, and BGLAS for moving so quickly to execute their plans.

"We're starting now because we are not prepared to sit and wait for something like what happened to Matthew Sheppard to happen," said Dana Wilson, a member of the Feminist Majority and PASS. Sheperd, a Wyoming college student, was murdered several weeks ago, allegedly because he was gay.

Wilson advocated the formation of a student patrol to help fulfill the campus' security needs.

Heath expressed some concerns with the development of a student patrol.

"There are issues concerning the safety of those students who will be patrolling," she said.