By Toma Lynn Smith

At the end of the February Faculty Senate meeting,  a question was asked about reducing crime on campus. To which University of Louisville Provost Shirley Willihnganz said we have to take precautions.
On Wed., Feb. 4 the second notification for the spring 2009 semester was issued from U of L Police Department.
“A University of Louisville student…approximately 10:50 p.m. on Tues., Feb. 3, 2009… an unknown subject used a handgun to rob him of money,” they stated.
“I believe I got the email, I don’t remember what it was, we get so many of them they just all lump together,” said sophomore nursing major Liz, who asked that her last name be withheld. “I’m not surprised anymore.  I just kind of expect it.”
Gwise account members have received numerous crime notifications regarding campus incidents over the last year.
“It kind of makes me safe to know that their doing something to at least look into it and not just let people go off the hook, at least they’re looking for them,” said Sophomore Computer Information Systems Peter Anderson.
Anderson has a routine for when he needs to walk in the dark. “I usually walk with somebody or talk to somebody on the phone so they know what’s going on,” he said.
If alone, Anderson said he keeps his keys ready and said he guesses he’d throw them at an assailant if he had to.
“DPS has a great escort service; I take advantage of that,” said Liz.
Anderson has not used the escorts provided by U of L Public Safety. “Some people have used it that I know, they said it’s pretty good,” he said.
Escorts can assist patrons from dusk to dawn and are able to escort anyone up to four blocks off campus.
In addition to students using this service, other precautions are recommended by ULPD:
·  If you are approached by someone trying to convince you to purchase items, requesting money or asking for a ride somewhere, contact ULPD who can assess the need or intention of the individual.
·  Always try and walk with a group of people, especially at night. If you are walking to a parking lot after class or a campus event , do not the leave the area until everyone is safely in their vehicle.
·  Call ULPD at 852-6111 if you would like an escort across campus after dark.
·  Remain alert and watchful for suspicious activity or activities that appear out of the ordinary.
·  If you sense something wrong, leave the area immediately and contact ULPD.
·  Be aware of the location of the blue emergency light standards that are located around campus. These identify the locations of emergency phones with a direct line to ULPD.
·  If you are involved in an incident: Observe what the suspect looks like and develop a mental picture so that an accurate description can be given to the police. Write down a description of the suspect including sex, race, height, weight, build, eye and hair color, scars or tattoos, jewelry, approximate age, and clothing. If possible, note in which direction the suspect fled. Don’t chase or follow the suspect. Protect the crime scene, leave everything as it is. Don’t touch any possible evidence.
·  Report all crimes or suspicious activity to ULPD at 852-6111.
“It’s not necessarily a bad part of town, it’s just, I think we’re easy targets, college students are more vulnerable,” said Liz. 
Willihnganz did say that times are getting worse and unfortunately with that, crime can increase. The best thing to do is to take precaution and to use U of L’s services such as the escort service.
 “No matter if you’re a college student, or not a college student, you still have a likelihood of being attacked,” said Anderson.