Talking Stick - September/October 2016 - 57

remain a staple of welcome week.
However, as the conversation with this
panel shows, there is no one simple
solution. Rather, campus security
today counts on a mélange of rules,
education, technology, and campus
partnerships that must all work
toward a common goal.
Joining in this conversation are
Derek Goss, student accommodation
manager for the University of Kent
in Canterbury, United Kingdom;
Jill Eckardt, director of university
housing at Texas Woman's University
in Denton; Paul Lange, associate
director of operations at the
University of California, Irvine; and
Shannon Corey, interim associate
director of residence life at Georgia
State University in Atlanta.

Talking Stick: In your experience,
are students and parents more
concerned or less concerned about
security today? How do you see these
concerns (or lack thereof) manifest
themselves?

Shannon Corey: Our university
is in a downtown environment and
is an open campus, so to speak. As a
result, our students and parents are
definitely concerned about their safety
and security. While the concern is
there, students often believe they will
not be victims, so they are still not
as observant and cautious as I would
like to see. Recently our students,
and student staff in particular,
were concerned about the proposed
campus carry bill and the impact it
would have on our campus (in the
end, it was not passed in our most
recent legislative session).

Derek Goss: Our experience is
that although we believe we have a
pretty safe campus environment, as
we are located a few miles outside of
the city and our crime rate is very low,
it is necessary to take action to deal
with residents' general concerns and
anxieties about how safe the campus is.

Paul Lange: I think parents show
more concern than the students
themselves. We have postings all over
the residences to remind residents to
not prop open doors, but they continue
to do it daily. Residents will leave
valuables out in common spaces with
apparently no concern that the items
may be taken.

Jill Eckardt: Parents definitely are
more concerned about security today.
My impression regarding students is
that it is no more or less than say five
to ten years ago. Students are bringing
mace and pepper spray into the halls
at a higher rate. The good news is that
I have not seen them using it.
The increased concern regarding
security can be seen in the questions
parents ask at orientation, although
here at TWU we only had two
questions all summer long about the
new conceal carry law that went into
effect on August 1. Parents ask about
the type of security we have: certified
police officers versus security guards,
how often are they in the halls, if we
offer escorts in the evenings, etc.

TS: Based on what you've seen, how
have you seen campus security efforts
change in the last 5-10 years?
Goss: We have increased the
numbers of security staff for our
campus and also recruited people with
a different profile than previous police
or military experience. We are now
recruiting people with interpersonal
and counseling-type attributes who
are more student well-being focused.
We have spent heavily on centrally
monitored CCTV cameras throughout
the campus. We have greatly improved
the street lighting and proximity
lighting around our campus and
the footpaths. We have also created
decentralized small security offices
around the campus so that security
officers are more accessible, especially
overnight for residents.
Corey: Institutions are doing more
to increase a sense of security, such
as having their own police force,
increasing the number of cameras
within campus buildings (especially
residence halls), adding more access
control measures, and increasing the
number of safety escorts.
Lange: There is a lot more discussion
and information given to the residents
when they arrive and throughout the
year regarding security of personal
belongings and themselves. A lot
of the campuses I have worked at
or visited in the last 10 years have
changed their locks from brass keys
to card-access. Some make it easier
for residents by going to one card-type
system. The card is their identification
and meal card and is used to buy
books and access their residence.

SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2016

57
Talking Stick - September/October 2016

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