Student leaders Sunday said they were angry and frustrated with Northwestern’s administration for not consulting students before finalizing its new security plan.
According to leaders from the Associated Student Government, Residence Hall Association and Residential College Board, the Campus Safety Advisory Committee was never given a chance to review the security measures that were decided last Tuesday. Instead, the committee – composed of students and administration members – was handed a sheet detailing the changes to be made and informed that the decisions were not up for negotiation.
“We were merely informed,” ASG President Jay Schumacher said. “I’m angry that the administration did not consult students on this, especially when it effects every student living on campus.”
Among other changes, the new security program would replace dorm monitors with professional “community service officers;” install 24-hour alarms on all residence hall doors except for the main entrances; and place closed-circuit security cameras in building entrance ways.
The university has already added more lighting along Sheridan Road and Judson and Church streets, as well as near the Music Administration Building. The additions are part of an effort to make NU’s Evanston campus safer for students following a spate of on-campus robberies and dorm intrusions during spring and fall 2006.
Schumacher said ASG will lobby the administration to hold off on enacting any of the new policies until the student government can try to gauge undergraduates’ opinions about the changes. He said he will introduce a bill at Wednesday’s Senate meeting that would set up a poll on HereAndNow and ask the university for the delay.
Pressure for action and for the poll has come from the ground up, RCB President Sarah Whitney said. She and RHA President Kendall Drew said their residential boards and dorm presidents had asked them to push for the response.
With data from the poll, Schumacher said ASG might be able to do a more effective job engaging the administration in future conversation and negotiation.
Administration members could not be reached for comment.
– Jordan Weissmann
