Since the recent sexual assault attack reports and scares occurring in the Bryan-College Station area, Texas A&M Residence Life and the city of Bryan Police Department are pushing for individuals to follow security guidelines when going about their days to ensure safety.
Residence Life Director of Administrative & Support Services Carol D. Binzer, Ph.D., said safety is always a priority. A&M housing has multiple procedures in place to ensure the safety of students living on campus.
“The lighting around the halls and across campus is reviewed annually,” Binzer said. “Based on student governments’ initiatives we are working on a security cameras project for entry and exit doors. Security and the university police department, or UPD, have stepped up patrols, particularly between 6-10 p.m. Resident halls and apartments that are on-campus housing have live-in staff that keep a duty schedule.”
Binzer said as a way to be polite, sometimes students let other individuals into buildings, but it is important to let each individual use their own access card to enter a building to increase safety in residence halls and authorized university buildings.
“Card access to residence halls and keys for the doors is one of the cautionary tales for students to feel safe and for them to be careful of what we call tailgating: someone sliding into a building behind you because they don’t have access,” Binzer said. “It is better to leave them outside and get them to call someone they know to bring them inside or to use their own access card.”
In moments when an individual feels their safety is at risk, A&M has on-campus resources available for students.
“Blue light emergency phones are across the campus,” Binzer said. “Corps [of Cadets] escort services. Resident halls and apartments that are on campus housing have live-in staff that keep a duty schedule. We also have UPD, our own police force.”
Bryan PD Public Information Officer Kole Taylor said students living on and off campus should stay alert and contact the police department in the case of suspicious activity.
“We are stressing people to stay vigilant, don’t get tied up in your cell phone, social media, texting, be aware of what is going on around you,” Taylor said. “Ensuring that you are locking your doors and your windows are locked every night. If you know you will be walking it is best to travel with a group or friend or be on the phone with somebody. In the case that you do see something suspicious or something weird you immediately let somebody know and call PD.”
UPD and Bryan PD have informational websites highlighting procedures and ways to stay safe in the wake of dangerous situations.
Health sophomore Virginia Ramirez said she takes certain precautions, to stay safe when being alone.
“I find myself trying to walk in areas where there are people around and also not being out alone while it’s dark,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said she uses on-campus resources to ensure her safety.
“I do feel comfortable asking for help and there are resources available for me around campus that if something were to happen, I could have access to getting help right away,” Ramirez said.
Binzer said in order for students to feel safe on campus, the community as a whole must work together.
“Stay alert, safety and security are a priority of all,” Binzer said. “All of these systems work better if we all do our part in it. If you see something say something, if the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you feel suspicion you should trust that.”
