Be responsible for own safety
At 3:30 a.m. Friday, a 24-year-old man was caught watching girls sleep at Kappa Alpha Theta. University and Evanston police were able to arrest Steven Douglas Manning before he even left the building. He is now facing two counts of trespass and one count of possession of cocaine.
Al Cubbage, vice president for university relations, credited UP’s quick response to beefed up security measures put in place last year, though an alarm that should have gone off if the front door to Theta was left open for more than 30 seconds did not function properly.
Nevertheless, security measures are not to blame here. Manning entered Hobart House before ending his creepy stalking at Theta. How did he enter the supposedly secure all-women dorm? He knocked on the door and someone let him in. He obviously didn’t live there. He got into Theta when a girl didn’t fully close the door behind her.
Students constantly complain about safety in Evanston, but it’s time to stop whining and take some responsibility for protecting yourself. NU’s changes are effective, and it’s up to students to hold up our side of the bargain.
Some things are never a good idea. It is never safe to walk around alone late at night. It isn’t smart to let people in late at night who don’t look like students or obviously don’t live in your dorm.
It is smart to lock your doors and make sure that when you enter a building, the door locks behind you.
Students need to actively be aware of themselves and look out for their friends. The victims aren’t to blame, but with a little more diligence, we could avoid potentially dangerous situations.
The future of the NU library
Since the beginning of the school year, students using the library have been inconvenienced by construction to the entrance and pavilion of the building. An entire floor was added to Crowe Hall since the library renovations began and the construction is still far from finished.
The future may bring even more projects. Although they haven’t even finished what they started, the university recently hired a firm to conduct a survey of students, faculty and staff regarding improvements that could occur over the next 20 years.
Library changes will need to respond to future technological advancements, so surveying the current student body can confirm that everyone thinks the library is ugly, but won’t really help keep the library relevant.
Given the unfortunate reality that construction on the library won’t end any time soon, the university should make the outdoor concrete area more socially accessible. Benches, tables and other amenities (ice skating rink to liven up the winter months, anyone?) could be added to the pavilion to minimize the oppressive vibe that currently emits from the barren cement expanse and towering hideous buildings.
People-friendly additions will not only make the area more appealing, but will also create a social space for students in a practical location. Students could enjoy the outdoors while studying near a wealth of resources or even use the area to simply take a break from their work inside.
The library construction is contributing to a campus already covered in scaffolding. If no end is in sight, we expect a gorgeous new library building when we bring our grandchildren here to look at colleges.