The University of Colorado Student Union in cooperation with the office of student affairs, campus police and several campus offices is preparing a slate of advertisements and programs in an effort to heighten safety awareness following the death of CU student Susannah Chase Dec. 22.
Chase was attacked in the early morning hours on Sunday, Dec. 21, near her home at 1802 Spruce St.
UCSU Tri-Executive Jon Cooper and Night Ride/Night Walk coordinators Jennifer Maren and Brian Worthen met over the holiday break with campus administrators to begin reestablishing Night Ride/Night Walk earlier than previously planned and to develop an ad campaign and campus forums to alert returning students to safety issues.
We want all students to be aware of the services available to them to make traveling to and from campus safer, Cooper said. But we also want to emphasize that students need to take personal responsibility for their own safety by walking in well-lit areas, using Night Ride/Night Walk and taking other precautions.
Night Ride/Night Walk, which is staffed by student volunteers, usually begins operating in the second or third week of each new semester after students have returned from break and know their class schedules. That would have meant a start the week of Jan. 19 or later, which student leaders and campus officials felt would be too late. Instead it will be available beginning Wednesday, Jan. 7, by calling 492-SAFE or 492-7233. The service provides free rides or escorts for students to and from campus, within the Boulder city limits and during certain hours five days a week.
We felt it was imperative to get this service started sooner so that students returning to campus the week before classes would feel more secure when they are out at night, said Ron Stump, dean of students. We also want students to take advantage of all the safety programs available to them and to learn what they should do to enhance their own safety, Stump said.
Night Ride/Night Walk is available to all CU-Boulder students who want a ride or an escort to or from campus between 7 p.m. and midnight Sundays through Thursdays by calling 492-SAFE or 492-7233. Co-director Jennifer Maren said the hours may be extended to 12:30 a.m. or 12:45 a.m. if volunteers are willing to work later, which would give students a little more time to call for a ride or escort.
All of the Night Ride/Night Walk volunteers undergo background checks by campus police before they are allowed to participate. The program provides escorts for students off campus within three blocks. Beyond that radius, students are driven by van to their destinations. People who wish to volunteer for Night Ride/Night Walk should call 492-3230 or come to room 336 of the University Memorial Center.
The service maintains a desk at the main entrance of Norlin Library, which will be staffed beginning Jan. 15, and a temporary help desk may be established in the UMC reception area Jan. 7 through Jan. 14, Cooper said.
In addition to Night Ride/Night Walk, several other services and programs are available to students to improve their safety:
Self-defense classes are available through the Recreation Center and two special one-day classes are being added in January. The two special Womens Self-Defense classes will meet Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 from noon to 4 p.m. UCSU is offering a special rate of $3 for the classes, taught by Bill Kipp of Colorado Model Mugging.
Two regularly scheduled six-week, self-defense classes meet Jan. 29 through March 5 and March 12 through April 23. The fee for the six-week sessions is $22. All of the self-defense classes meet in the Rec Center mat room. The Rec Center also offers several other self-defense classes including karate, kendo, aikido, Tai Chi and kick boxing.
Safety whistles, complete with instructions and safety tips, are available through the CU Police by calling 492-4402, from the USCU office in room 333 of the UMC or at any campus residence hall. The police community service division also will make safety presentations to campus groups.
Emergency telephones are located all over campus for use in emergencies. Pocket-sized maps identifying 12 campus telephones are available from campus police by calling 492-4402. An additional 16 telephones are located in the two campus parking structures, the Regent Drive Autopark near the engineering center and the Euclid Autopark near the UMC.
The Office of Victim Assistance and the Psychiatric Clinic in Wardenburg Health Center on campus are available to provide counseling support and advice to students. Call Amy Robertson or Rebecca Brown at 492-8855.
For more information on safety programs and services available through the university, contact UCSU at 492-7473, CU Police at 492-8168, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at 492-8476, Housing Administration at 492-7260, the Counseling Center at 492-6766 or Victim Assistance at 492-8855.