From Sept. 21 to Sept. 25 we addressed campus safety with Campus Safety Week. The University had a series of events that had to do with making everyone on campus, both staff and students, feel safe. The first was an ice cream truck that gave out free ice cream and advertised for the Campus Safety Forum later that evening.
Although there were not many people at the Forum, the people who did attend touched on some very important issues. Some of the people involved in the Forum were Rebecca Kitchell, Officer Mark Toledo, Patty Christiano, and the Rape Crisis Center Advocate for the UNH campus, Melissa. Melissa wanted people to know that there is support on campus for any individuals who have been sexually abused. The center focuses on those who need to talk or just need to know what to do next. She has experience in dealing with sexual abuse because of her work at the Milford Rape Crisis Center, and can handle the problem with care and diligence.
Another issue that Officer Mark Toledo addressed was pepper spray or mace. First and foremost, they are the same thing. Second, some students do not know if they can carry it around with them or they have heard rumors that they are not allowed to have it on campus. Toledo said that if used properly and in the right situations, pepper spray is allowed. If used in the wrong situation, it could lead to an arrest. Toledo and Kitchell also both agreed that if everyone simply uses common sense, the campus would continue to be safe, if not safer. Some common sense tips are not to walk alone at night, only walk in well-lit areas, and do not meet up with strangers.
Another event involved in safety week was the DUI Simulator. Using a computer, it simulated the effects of alcohol on driving. It has the cloudy vision that some experience when he or she is drunk, late reaction time, and overcompensation. The point of the simulator was to warn people not to drive drunk because it puts the driver, the passengers, and other drivers on the road in danger. Although this is a lesson that has been banged into the heads of drivers everywhere for years now, the DUI simulator provided a “real-life” way to experience the lessons we’ve heard for years.
The Campus Police phone number is (203) 932-7014 and there is always someone there to answer.
The moral of the week’s events is to use common sense and call campus police, a Resident Assistant, or someone else in authority that can help you handle a situation that needs help.
