On-campus safety addressed for second time this year

As a result of the recent crimes on and off campus, UB officials decided to hold a second Safety Fair in the Student Union this past Wednesday.

Normally, the fair is held once per academic year during the September Welcome events, but in response to the rape that occurred on campus and the shooting incident on Winspear Ave. in University Heights, several organizations set up booths to reinforce their messages.

"This semester, the campus came together and said in light of this incident, let's do something the first two weeks of classes to bring attention to the importance of safety," said Mary Clare Fahey of student affairs, and co-organizer of the event. "It's never a bad idea to remind students to be safe. The more we can be proactive the less we have to be reactive."

According to Fahey, the objective of this second event is to raise awareness and remind students about the necessity of being careful and alert, especially at times when they find themselves alone on campus.

"The goal of this event is to have students not get hurt," Fahey said. "The safety of students is the number one concern for everyone on campus."

There were several activities offered for students, including a game of "Jeopardy" presented by the Anti-Rape Task Force (ARTF). The game was designed to inform students about shocking sexual assault and domestic violence statistics.

"(We presented) a lot of statistics that many students are unaware of in hopes to educate them on being safer," said Nicole Volo, a student who works with ARTF. "For instance, it is estimated that four out of five victims know their attacker."

Trained students from the Combined Martial Arts Club (CMAC) demonstrated defensive maneuvers throughout the fair, and offered tutorials to students.

"We are basically giving demonstrations, giving different scenarios and how to get out of them," said San Shou, a member of the CMAC.

According to Newton Campbell, the social director for CMAC, the group's goal is to get students involved in martial arts not only for exercise, but also as a great means of self-defense.

"They can learn to defend themselves and learn how to fight," Campbell said.

University Police Officer Amy Pelow was at the fair to promote the use of safety walks, which are available Sunday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to midnight on both North and South campus.

Other safety tips UP suggested included locking doors, walking and running with a friend, being aware of one's surroundings, and being cautious and alert in University Heights neighborhoods. The booth also had beer goggles available for students to experiment with, warning them that alcohol is the number-one date rape drug.

Pelow also advised students to report crimes or suspicious activity as soon as possible so UP can help.

"We urge students to report things because the longer they sit there and don't report it, the more difficult it will become to get them the help that they need," Pelow said. "You can report something that either happened to you or if you've witnessed something that happened to someone else."

In addition, ARTF encouraged students to take advantage of the free safety shuttle services on South Campus that run seven days a week from 8 p.m. to midnight.

"It is like Maslow's hierarchy of needs," Fahey said. "If you don't have food, shelter and safety, you can't learn. We've got to take care of the basic needs to make students feel safe."