Greater security measures called for on campus

By Tina Ray
Staff Writer

Security on campus is in sore need of improvement. If students are the most valuable assets at this university, then it does a poor job in protecting those assets.

As of late, there has been a rash of attacks against vulnerable, unsuspecting students and their property.

On Oct. 8, a resident student reported she was attacked outside of her apartment.

On Oct. 12, a resident of Belk Hall reported that she was raped on campus. These attacks indicate a need for increased surveillance on campus.

Students at Wellons Hall were the victims of larceny on Oct. 13. Items stolen include a television, Sony Playstation II, video games, DVD player and 50 compact discs, according to the Campus Crime Report.

On Oct. 30, a student reported that his vehicle was damaged while parked in Lot 10, with estimated damage totaling $1,500.

The enrollment here at UNCP has steadily increased over the last four years. Has an increase in campus police officers helped the university? Has there been an increase in the number of security personnel to ensure public safety while on campus? These are legitimate questions which deserve to be addressed. Is it possible that video surveillance in the parking lots could be increased as well?

Our atmosphere of learning is tainted when the safety of those attempting to learn is violated by criminals. These deviants are people who do not have the moral decency to leave other people and other people’s property alone.

UNCP needs to remedy its crime problem, not just for those who have already been victimized, but for the incoming freshmen, upperclassmen and graduate students who will seek out this university as a place of higher learning.