Being created…a better name will be found!

I wrote this article a few weeks ago for Concourse Magazine, the magazine of Keele University Students’ Union. It was in response to a series of events which occurred at Keele during January 2010 which prompted concerns from some areas of the student populations that safety and security at the university needed to be reviewed.

Recent events at Keele have reignited discussion over the question of safety on campus and what can be done about it. The assault of a student and then the tragic death of a David Whitlock, have made everyone on campus more aware about security and keeping safe whilst living and studying here. Students have already been airing their views and Facebook has also sprung into action with a page being set up containing many views on how the university should be tackling safety on campus.

The question about security around campus is what would actually be effective. There have been many calls by students that lighting on campus in certain areas needs improvement. This cannot be argued with. There are some areas of campus which are lit to a greater extent than others. The walk from the campus to Hawthorns is one area where the university have vastly improved lighting since I arrived in Keele nearly four years ago. On the other hand, there are other areas which do not fare so well. Some students have stated that the walk to Barnes and from the sports centre and Hollycross are not lit well enough. More lighting would certainly make students feel more secure in their environment and provide less “shady” places where suspicious figures could lurk.

There have also been calls for more CCTV to be present on campus. I have no idea exactly how many cameras there are on campus, but I am led to believe that the network is quite extensive, however, probably the highest CCTV concentration is in the academic areas, due to the threat of theft and break-ins in the science blocks. The problem with installing CCTV on campus, as deterrent or as a measure to find criminals, is the very nature of Keele. Since the campus is quite spread out, with many small pathways leading to buildings, it probably would be near impossible to provide complete comprehensive coverage of all the campus. The costs would also be astronomical and there would be the issue of personal privacy in halls of residence where cameras could point directly into the room of a student. There have also been recent reports in the media as to the effectiveness of CCTV in cutting crime.

Another measure raised is the role of security. Some have called for there to be an increase in security patrols around campus, especially on foot. An increase in a security presence is nearly always a deterrent to crime and the knowledge that security are never far away perhaps would allay people’s fears.

I feel that as a collective community, though, that we could each do a bit to look out for each other. You can have lights, cameras and the all infrastructure you want, but unfortunately crime will raise its ugly head in one way or another. If you leave on a night out in a group, make sure you all get back safely, or know where you are going at the end of the night and who with. Make sure no one is left alone. Admittedly, this is easier said than done. After a night of one-too-many drinks at the union people do drift off and to “say do not go out alone at night” for many is an impossibility. If you find yourself alone, it’s wise not to take unnecessary risks. Stay to the main paths if you are walking alone, see if the safety bus is running or, if you have the funds, consider calling a taxi.

However it is probably important to stress that Keele is still a safe campus. I feel much safer here than I would do than if I was at an inner city university. Attacks are thankfully a rare occurrence, and we should not feel scared of living here. I feel that the whole community needs to work together closely. Security needs to engage with the students more than at present, perhaps on a more personal basis, perhaps where students actively recognise by face and name those who help keep us safe. The university, the union, CFM and the student body themselves should all work closer to identify areas of improvement, but at the same time, we should all look out for each other, and where there is suspicious behaviour, call security and let them know, so they can investigate. Prevention is better than cure.