Building a Safer Tomorrow

April 16, 2024 24RJP 353 Views Safety, Student Life, U-M

Delving into safety concerns and solutions at U-M

—By Raven Perry

“MSU Police report shots fired incident occurring on or near the East Lansing campus. Secure-in-Place immediately. Run. Hide. Fight,” Michigan State students read as they feared for their lives due to an active shooter being on campus in February of 2023. As a University of Michigan student, it was heartbreaking seeing this tragedy unfold on the news as I stood 50 miles away in my dorm wondering if my friends and most importantly my brother, a student at MSU, were safe. Despite being rivals, students from both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University often form friendships across campuses.

The unspeakable event that occurred at MSU made students at UMich afraid for their lives here on campus. They began to wonder what safety measures the university had or was putting in place to protect their students in Ann Arbor. Though we have not had an active shooter, there have been multiple situations that have prevented students at UMich from feeling safe on campus. The question is, what measures does the university plan to take to ensure student safety?

The University of Michigan has been confronted with many safety incidents that have left students unsettled. Incidents range from unauthorized people having access to buildings on campus, the concerning trend of sexual assault, and the University’s choice to withhold information about certain incidents occurring on or around campus. These incidents represent the pressing issue for better security measures to protect students and staff.

Students experiences

In February of 2024, Mackenzie, a UMich junior, experienced an interesting yet uncomfortable situation in which a high school student repeatedly disrupted her physics lecture, the incident culminating in her vape exploding, causing smoke to go everywhere. When a student in the room asked the professor to call for DPSS (Division of Public Safety and Security), the high schooler shouted “catch me outside, yelling curse words as she made her exit.

According to Makenzie, unfortunately, this was not the first time this young girl had been seen in lecture halls on campus. When I asked Makenzie how she felt during this situation, she stated, “It was a surreal moment. One of those times to where you’re like there is no way this is happening right now, and because it was such an odd time, I had to record it.” Mackenzie urges students on campus to “stay safe” and contact the proper authorities if anyone feels uncomfortable.

For Adetola Oyelade, her safety concerns went beyond the lecture halls and into her living space in the campus dorms. “There is always something happening,” Oyelade begins. Right now, she is an RA (Resident Assistant) in West Quad, a dormitory located on E. Madison and Jefferson. Being close to the end of campus opens the door for unexpected intrusion from non-UMich students, despite the various M-Card-protected doors. Though nothing has occurred to her personally, she has heard stories, including someone being stalked, robberies, and someone coming into the dorms with a hatchet (more on this later). Despite these incidents, Oyelade continues to remain strong. “There has been some crazy stuff happening in the dorms, but I wouldn’t necessarily say I am scared for my life. But sometimes I do feel a little uncomfortable or uneasy after I hear about certain things happening in the same building I sleep in.”

In regards to DPSS, Oyelade offered a different perspective as a young woman of color. “Being a black woman, I haven’t felt comfortable around police,” she stated. There have been instances where police have been known to use aggressive tones, act first, and ask questions later. She goes on to add how DPSS is understanding, yet their response time is extremely concerning. If there is a sudden need for DPSS, why should students call DPSS, unaware of how long it will take them to arrive at the scene?

The university’s perspective

With these incidents taking place on campus, the university has received multiple complaints about its response to student safety. “People call me all the time complaining about different incidents that occur on campus,” said a customer service worker for Michigan Housing who chose to remain anonymous. When asked about any safety protocols the university has or plans to implement due to many incidents, the housing worker was unaware of any. Besides students and staff being directed to contact DPSS when necessary, there was no real answer to this question.

In addition, they recalled the incident of a man walking around West Quad with a hatchet “There was no announcement from the university at all,” they said. They added that the way they found out was through a series of text messages being sent around by the students indicating there was an older man with an axe making his way through the dorm. Students called the housing worker asking how the man got into the building, and if it was even safe for them to come out of their dorms. “I had no idea what to say,” they said. “I just told them to remain in their dorms until we call the proper authorities and get everything under control.”

They chose to add another example where in November of 2023, a man was found wandering around the Markley dorms with a gun on his hip. “A forty-year-old white man. Gun on his hip. Where did he come from? No one knew.” But no warning had been sent out regarding this man. The only way anyone would have known is through word of mouth. When asked if the university is selective about what they send crime alerts about, the housing worker agreed. “You know just recently there was a shooting at the 7-Eleven on State Street by North Quad,” they informed me. Unaware of this incident, I was shocked there was not a crime alert that had been sent out to inform the students about this incident. Especially when many students go into that specific 7-Eleven. However, the housing worker was told that “technically” the line for the end of campus is past the location of the convenience store, so therefore it was not an on-campus issue.

Sexual assault awareness and prevention

UMich has had a concerning rise in reports of sexual assault on and around campus. According to MLive, these incidents have increased over the past 2-3 years, highlighting the need for more serious measures to be taken. Aside from the well-known incident regarding athletic trainer Dr. Robert Anderson, there was a total of 145 incidents in 2022 reported to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC), not including police reports. Many stories surfaced of students barely escaping potential assaults. It can be difficult for one to talk about such a heavy topic, however when I asked various students if they would feel comfortable reporting a possible sexual assault that hypothetically occurred to them, many answered no. Some stated that they might contact SAPAC for emotional help or try to contact the police, but they are afraid nothing will change if they do so.

One incident, like many, occurred off campus, where a student had an encounter with an unknown, tall white male while walking into her home. She was groped, yet used her strength to yell and slap the offender, which caused him to run away. Though left unharmed, she will forever have a memory of this day and continues to question the trust and security of students’ safety on and off campus.

Many similar reports have been made of students experiencing harassment throughout the past few years. In response, UMich has hired an outside firm to conduct a campus-wide survey regarding sexual assault. Its purpose is to collect data to be used to assess prevention methods, and a better way for the university to respond to this issue. By raising awareness and implementing the responses they receive from students and staff regarding sexual assault, UMich aims to create an environment for students in which they can be free of the fear of sexual violence.

Moving forward

Looking ahead, UMich needs to continue to improve the ways for the students on and off campus to feel safe and comfortable. The need for not just hearing but acting on the thoughts and feelings of the students is very important. The few incidents mentioned above make it clear how easy it is for anyone unauthorized to walk into any building on campus. How can this be prevented? One suggestion that was given by Makenzie was to incorporate blue emergency buttons inside each building on campus, like those placed outside around campus. In addition, she recommended there being a system for reporting lower-stakes situations. “People would be more inclined to report…incidents that they would otherwise ignore because they feel it isn’t a big enough issue to press the blue buttons outside.”

Moreover, we must keep in mind that UMich is located in downtown Ann Arbor and is easily accessible to the public. Campus buildings are also unlocked until a certain time, at which point they require an M-Card to get in. Even if the university decided to keep the doors locked and require an M-Card throughout the day, it is known for students to hold the door open for anyone walking behind them, therefore letting even non-students inside the buildings.

One thing that can be done is making sure that the safety protocols are known to every student and staff at the university. When I asked students around campus if they were aware of UMich safety protocols, the majority answered no. Some have not even heard of SAPAC or where to access safety information given by DPSS. In addition, plenty of students said they hear about incidents occurring around campus through word of mouth, not through UMich’s crime alert. “Yes we sometimes get some emails about certain incidents on campus, but no one is looking at those,” Jalen Sumlin, a junior at UMich, exclaimed. His suggestion was for there to be a required app or something for students and staff to have on their devices to receive safety alerts. “Something like a UMich Amber Alert.”

The safety of the students and staff on campus is an extensive action that needs to be taken. As the university works on creating a safer environment, students must do their part to ensure a culture of safety. By working together, students, faculty, and staff can create a safe environment that is not only a priority but also a shared responsibility.

Important resources

Photo by Nelly Antoniadou on Unsplash