There is room for campus safety improvements

Many students have safety concerns when walking back to East Carolina University’s bus stops or their cars and dorms after leaving the library late in the evening.

Students lead busy lives between attending classes, working, participating in clubs and trying to maintain social responsibilities. Studying at night is the only opportunity many students have to do homework and prepare for exams. The students should not have to feel unsafe walking home due to the time they choose to study.

A university is a learning establishment and should provide a safe learning environment for students no matter what time of day they choose to study.

Safety on campus has been improved with blue lights, better lighting on campus and a parking garage which allows for parking closer to the library.

We, the editorial staff of The East Carolinian, believe that while there have been many improvements to campus safety there is still room for improvements to be made.

There are currently many areas throughout ECU’s campus which could have more lighting at night. More blue lights, which alert ECU Police Department if a student is in danger or needs an escort, could additionally be added along student routes back to their residence halls. While bus routes are less frequent at night than during the day, students have commented on the subject matter by saying the circumstances lead to safety concerns.

If ECU Transit operating vehicles, such as buses, are going to be less frequent at night the bus stops could have more lighting and a blue light, or have an ECU PD officer in the area. Adding more lighting is a beneficial way to make students feel safer at night on campus and blue lights give them a sense of safety and security.