Living on campus can be a rewarding experience, but also a time tobe cautious.
A month ago, a woman was raped in her apartment on 55th Street.According to police, the man probably entered her apartment throughan unlocked door in the morning. Three weeks ago, a woman was rapedby an unidentified man in an off-campus parking lot in the 5800 blockof Lindo Paseo — near many of the campus residence halls. The manassaulted the woman as she walked through the lot.
The assaults have left students wondering exactly how safe campusliving is.
San Diego State University’s campus has five residence halls, andtwo on-campus apartment facilities, Villa Alvarado and Piedra delSol.
“All of our facilities, with the exception of Villa Alvaradoapartments have a 24-hour service desk located at the entrance of thebuilding,” said Cynthia Avery, associate director of the UniversityResidential Education. “These desks, staffed around the clock, serveas a checkpoint for persons entering into the hall.”
The checkpoints require residents to produce their SDSUidentification cards and visitors to check in at night.
“Allpersons are asked to show their identification,” Avery said. “Eachhall has a different sticker which is placed on the student’s SDSU IDcard to indicate residency.”
In addition, Avery said security monitors work evening hours atthe building entrances. Resident Advisors also make periodic buildingtours each evening while on duty. They are there to enforce hallpolicies and to ensure the well-being of the community.
Avery said residential staff work with groups like the UniversityPolice to put on safety programs. An emphasis is placed on safetyissues particularly during the first two weeks of each semester.
Security cameras have been installed in residence halls wherefalse fire alarms and vandalism were a problem, Avery said. Thelocation of the cameras are withheld due to security reasons.
During the winter break, the Living/Learning Center received anelectronic card access system, which allows students access to thebuilding via a swipecard reader instead of a key.
The magnetic card system was started in Tenochca as a trial systemseveral years ago. The card system was then wired in the LLC, andwhen Cuicacalli is completed in the fall, it will also have a cardsystem. The card system will also be added to the existingresidential halls within the next four to five years.
However, even though all these security devices are in place, somestudents say they don’t feel safe in the residence halls.
“The dorms are safe now that everyone is here,” said Templo delSol resident Tina Gharakhanian. “But I don’t think the university didenough to protect the residents (during winter break). Doors werepropped open, taped open and the front door was rarely locked.
“They think there is so much security here, but it is easy forpeople to get up here. It’s so easy, it’s unreal.”
Avery said during winter break there was security for residencehalls that stay open and increased security for the LLC.
Laura Smart, who lived in Templo del Sol in the fall and is nowliving off-campus, said it is still easy for her to get into thebuilding without having to call for someone to let her in.
“The people at the front desk were watching movies (during break)and not paying attention,” she said. “From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. is theonly time they check people in for security.”
While some students feel unsafe, Kara Fincher, the residentialhall coordinator at Templo del Sol, said that her staff is dedicatedto protecting the students.
“We have RAs on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Finchersaid. “They do 3-4 sets of rounds a day to make sure doors aren’tpropped open and there are no strange people milling about.”
During break, the staff was allowed to watch movies to keepthemselves awake, but the mail, checking IDs and customer serviceswas their utmost priority and always is, Fincher said.
However, Fincher believes it is also the responsibility of thestudents to ensure their own safety.
One of the worst things students do is leave doors propped open,Fincher said.
“One of the hardest things I try to drum into their heads is tonot let students follow you into the dorms.,” Fincher said. “It’s notour natural way of being, but it needs to be done. We encouragestudents to have assertive skills.”
To raise awareness, Fincher and her staff will be having aviolence prevention and reduction week later in the semester. Theweek will cover topics such as theft prevention, sexual assault,alcohol abuse, conflict resolution and self-defense.
Fincher also encourages all women to attend the Rape AggressionDefense course which is open to women of all ages.
Still, even with all of the safety measures taken, crime is stilla problem, although Avery said crimes in residence halls are usuallynot committed by non-students.
“As anywhere in our society, crimes of a serious nature occur inthe residence halls,” Avery said. “When staff are made aware of thesesituations, the victims are encouraged to file police reports. It israre for these incidents to occur, and extremely rare for theseincidents to occur when the alleged perpetrator is outside of ourresidential or SDSU community.”
Typically, assaults on campus occur among SDSU students. Theft isprobably the most common crime, not only on campus, but also withinthe halls. When students leave belongings unattended or leave theirdorms unlocked, theft is more likely to occur. Rarely does forcibleentry occur in the dorms, she said.
Safety tips are included in Residence Hall Community LivingGuides, which are distributed to all new residence on move-in day.The guides include contact phone numbers, helpful information andsafety cautions to use.
“Like a chain, the security of our residence halls is only asstrong as each link,” Avery said. “We ask our students to assist usin our commitment to keep the residence halls safe, and hold studentsaccountable when they place the community in jeopardy.”
