Some Old Westbury students may want to think again about their safety on campus. In a thoroughly unscientific poll that was conducted for this article, 80 percent of the students here believe that they attend college on a safe and secure campus. The feeling of invincibility is prevalent among college students, but has not lulled everyone into a false sense of security. Many of the students that feel unsafe on campus suggest that adding more street lights to certain areas would make a difference.
According to Kate Eaderoso, a certified nurse at the Office of Student Health Services, students and faculty members alike have recently needed treatment for injuries they have sustained on campus. Eaderoso cites the area surrounding the Harriet Tubman Hall as an especially hazardous zone, due to the “bumpy road and lack of lights.” While Eaderoso believes that multiple factors undoubtedly played a part in these injuries, some students are asking what can be done to make our campus a safer place.
Melissa Ocampo, who is in her first semester at Old Westbury, is less than impressed with some of the safety measures on campus. Ocampo, who primarily attends school at night, feels uncomfortable walking to her car following class, unless she is with one of her classmates. When she is forced to travel on her own, Ocampo frequently uses her long board, but that may not be a viable option anymore. “One day after class I attempted to long board to Clark Athletic Center and because there was a lack of lights, I did not see a huge piece of gravel on the ground,” she said. Unfortunately, Ocampo fell off her long board and was injured.
When she tried to use the help box, which was located near where she fell, she discovered that it did not work, which forced her to limp across campus in search of help. “It’s very scary walking alone. That’s why I like to long board but now after my accident this past week, I don’t feel safe doing either.”
Melissa Ocampo is not the only student that feels campus safety could improve with additional lights on campus. While senior Alexandra Mayer believes that Old Westbury is a safe campus, she also feels that the lack of lighting creates problems in certain areas: “Due to the lack of lights, people cannot see their surroundings well. I don’t think that the lack of lights will create violence however it does create a safety hazard. The stairs behind the Academic Village, leading to the parking lot by the Natural Science building, can be very slippery (during inclement weather) and without lights it makes the walk even more dangerous.”
In order to curb some of the dangers that exist on campus, public safety officers and officials have been forced to take certain measures to ensure that students at Old Westbury are safe at all times. Mike Yannielleo, who has been Chief of Campus Police for the last thirteen years at Old Westbury, believes that the campus is safe, and is proud of the steps that have been taken by the officers that are under his control: “We patrol all sections of the campus with special attention to areas where people live, commute and are educated. We respond to calls for assistance in the residence halls in both the old and new halls on campus. We actively engage in traffic enforcement on campus in an attempt to keep the roadways safe. All university police officers are trained and have the same responsibilities as any other municipal police officers in New York State.”
Chief Yannielleo does not remember of any incidents that have occurred on campus due to a lack of lights, and does believe that the lighting on campus is both “adequate”, and “was extensively upgraded five or so years ago.” This upgrade in lighting falls in line with the theory of “crime prevention through environmental design,” which suggests that adding certain devices to urban surroundings will be a deterrent for crime and other incidents. He added: “I believe that the more lighting on campus or anywhere else in the evening is a positive deterrent to crime and injuries. So would the presence of a police officer or identifiable college official around every corner. Like most colleges that are spread out over large areas, students must take there own personal safety into account during their educational experience at the college. The buddy system, utilization of the safety aide escort program, and taking the time to familiarize themselves with the college surroundings to include the roads and pathways along with the location of emergency phones would also be helpful in providing personal safety.”
When asked what message he had for the students on campus that still do not feel safe, Chief Yanielleo expressed emphatic faith and support for his officers. He also believes that the statistics that are recorded in the yearly “College Security and Fire Report” reflect upon the hard work of the campus police officers. “I do not know what is making those students feel unsafe,” he said. “Crime statistics as documented in the yearly College Security and Fire Report bear out the fact that Old Westbury is a safe place. The ratio of police officers to community members provides adequate coverage on campus and a very civil environment for students to be educated”.
Due to the passage of the Clery Act, all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs must release information regarding crime on their respective campuses. According to the report for the 2010 school year, 164 liquor law violations, 112 drug law violations, and 5 weapons violations, occurred on the Old Westbury campus. While not all of these incidents resulted in a chaotic turn of events, all of them negatively impact the overall safety of the campus. While they do not necessarily make the campus “unsafe”, incidents involving weapons, drugs, and alcohol certainly increase the possibility for accidents and crimes to occur.
Assistant to the President for Advancement and Head of Public Relations at Old Westbury, Michael Kinane said that he is “not privy to all the accident reports,” but has not heard of any significant incidents on campus. Kinane also expressed his full support for the nurses at the Office of Student Health Services, as well as public safety officers and officials. “I have every confidence, that this is a safe campus.”