Safety commission searches for problem areas on campus

Members of the Commission on Campus Safety made an hour-long trek Thursday night to identify spots on campus that could pose a possible threat.

IU Parking Manager Doug Porter led the brigade through below-freezing weather while the group acknowledged poorly lit areas in the Arboretum, outside the Herman B Wells Library and Dunn Woods. Although the group has been doing this twice a year for 20 years, the climate relating to campus safety has changed following a student death this semester.

A task force on traffic safety also did a campus walk-through earlier this year to identify potential danger zones for pedestrians crossing streets. As a result, they recommended implementing “safe zones” where pedestrians would have the right-of-way if entering one of these spots before an automobile.

Porter said Thursday’s mission was to look for areas where people could become scared and alone while walking. The eight in attendance were made up of IU students and people from various IU facility and utility departments and women’s affairs.

While walking the path between the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building and the fenced-off recreational fields, Residence Halls Association President Jessica Schul mentioned how this is a scary path for some women.

“I have girl friends that will pretend like they are talking on the phone with someone when they are not,” Schul said.

It’s the rationale that you can scream and quickly tell somebody that you are being attacked.

They will say things like, “Yeah, I’ll be home in five minutes,” to scare off a possible
lurking predator, Schul said.

Porter also gave the group examples of safe, well-lit areas on campus.

“See what new construction can do?” Porter said, acknowledging the bright grass area
behind Swain Hall, where lights and an emergency phone have been installed.

The group made its way north to the railroad tracks behind McNutt Quad towards Fee Lane, where the group took a moment to acknowledge the locations where safety zones will be put in place for pedestrians.

The group, somewhat quiet from the cold, continued their walk east past Wells Library and then went south, passing Wright and Teter Quads.

After passing the better half of 4,000 lights, the burned out bulbs they encountered will be fixed first thing tomorrow.

The cold and numb group exchanged holiday greetings and farewells after returning to the Sample Gates.