By Olivia Krauth–
In light of a week of crime near campus, SGA Services Vice President Lauren Greenwell met with U of L administrators to discuss safety initiatives on Sept. 21.
Greenwell said her meeting with CFO Harlan Sands, U of L Police Chief Wayne Hall and Dean of Students Michael Mardis was “very positive and very proactive.” They discussed short and long term goals to control and potentially eliminate student safety-related concerns.
Immediate actions discussed include increasing patrols near Cardinal Boulevard and Old Louisville, which would include hiring a new security officer for that area. Greenwell said increasing communication between Louisville Metro Police and ULPD to the U of L community is also something they’re working on. Greenwell said the communication to students this past week has been going well, but she wants to keep it consistent.
Greenwell said the campus escort program will be reviewed after she brought up several student concerns to administration. She said students were displeased with the service, which gives students rides after 9 p.m., and reported wait times from 45 minutes to two hours.
“They are very engaged. They really want to help students,” Greenwell said of her meeting. “We definitely laid out some goals – long term and short term – and they were very adamant about getting all of that, trying to finalize a lot things or at least trying to start a lot of things.”
Over the next few months, Greenwell and administration hopes to upgrade some of the lights on the L Trail, specifically around Greek Row and housing options around Fourth Street.
Greenwell had a few suggestions to help students be safe now. Students can download the Rave Guardian app, which allows the user to set a timer for a walk home and will call ULPD if you don’t get home in that timeframe. The app also allows for users to submit crime tips to ULPD within the app. While the app came to campus two years ago, Greenwell said only 400 students have it, and plans on marketing it more within a month.
For those looking for safe rides at night, Greenwell recommends the 90 East-West campus shuttle, which runs until 1 a.m.
