New recommendations released by the University's Task Force on Campus Safety and Security pinpoint goals that may help the University improve the atmosphere of safety on campus.
The report suggests, among other improvements, creating an advisory committee comprised partially of students that would oversee Department of Public Safety activities.
School of Music Dean Paul Boylan, who chaired the task force, said he hopes the report leads to increased consciousness of the need to provide a safe, comfortable place for students to learn.
"I hope that all the campus community, but particularly the faculty, take more seriously the need to ... provide a safe campus, particularly for students," he said.
The report was completed and submitted to Provost Nancy Cantor and Interim Chief Financial Officer Chandler Matthews last April, but was not released to the public until last week.
Engineering senior Kimberly Dillon, who was a member of the task force for half of its duration, said she feels more secure on campus now than when she came to campus as a first-year student.
"I actually feel safer now because I'm more knowledgeable of my surroundings, and freshman year there was a large issue with the Ann Arbor rapist," she said.
The task force's main recommendation is to create a post for an Associate Vice President for Campus Safety and Security position. This individual would be responsible for "overall management" of campus safety and would report directly to both the provost and chief financial officer.
Another important recommendation made by the committee pertains to the relationship between alcohol and crime on campus. The task force requested that a follow-up study to the 1993 report "U-M Survey Regarding Alcohol and Other Drugs," be completed and used as a catalyst for the provost and chief financial officer to review University alcohol and drug policies.
The task force, which included representatives from a wide spectrum of University departments and offices, including the Medical School, the Dean of Students' Office and Student Housing, issued a report in 1990 that directly impacted campus.
"That report led to rather sweeping changes on campus (in terms of campus safety)," Boylan said.
Associate Vice President for University Relations Lisa Baker said that Cantor and Matthews will probably allow time for the committee's recommendations to sink in before they take any action.
"I think that both of them want to allow ample time for the campus to review the recommendations of the task force and to provide feedback on the recommendations," Baker said. "There is a period for public comment and that is a very important time for students and faculty and staff to review the (proposals)."
Copies of the report can be obtained at the reserve desks of the Shapiro Undergraduate Library, the Taubman Medical Library and North Campus's Media Union.
People wishing to respond to the recommendations may e-mail their comments to security.feedback@umich.edu.
09-30-97
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