EDITORIAL: Blue lights on campus a problem

The blue lights around campus are a precaution put in place to keep students safe while walking at night, yet the blue emergency lights can not really do their job if they are broken and covered with “out of order” tape.

After the anniversary of Donnie Farrell’s death this past October, Rowan University administration said that they were doing more to protect the students. With the addition of more officers to the police force and a campus shuttle, students should feel safer while being on campus. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The increase of police surveillance is great for students, and the public safety department states they are doing what they can; still what they are doing is not enough. Several of the emergency poles have been out of order since early last semester, a problem that should have been fixed over winter break.

Public safety was completely aware of the problem, stating on Oct. 28, 2009 that they spent $3.5 million on public safety, including adding new light poles. While they were able to spend it on more officers and lights, they ignored a problem that already exists.

When Rowan finds they would rather spend their money on building Rowan Boulevard instead of fixing the campus that is already built, it becomes a problem.

Even though the public safety department says they are now expanding the budget to include fixing the blue light system, shouldn’t this have been done before? This is not a new problem, so why is the public safety department just starting to address this?

Students need to feel safe. If Rowan University wants to expand and become the great institution that Dr. Farish and the administration want it to be, then they need to start with safety. Students cannot learn, live or function if they are scared to walk from point A to point B after dark.

Sure, public safety is welcoming complaints and is addressing each concern individually, but this is not an individual concern. This is a campus-wide problem that could hurt enrollment if it continues.

On tours, admissions ambassadors bring tour groups past “out of order” emergency poles, portraying a dangerous image to potential students. Potential freshman are going to question why the emergency poles which were put in place for our safety are not able to be used in emergencies. All the admissions ambassadors would be able to say is, “We’re working on it.”

Public safety needs to work faster. If these poles do not get fixed soon, Rowan University might find some empty on-campus housing because potential students certainly look at campus safety when deciding to attend a university.

The lack of ability to call for help is a problem that needs to be solved as soon as possible. Over the last four years, Rowan has made many positive strides in the area of campus safety, but the four-month wait to start fixing the emergency poles around campus is holding Rowan back immensely.