Protect yourself and your things – what you should know when living on campus

             An incident involving a female student waking to find an unknown male in her bed has sparked a discussion of campus safety among resident assistants and university police.

            University of Texas campus police are warning students to be vigilant of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity. 

            On Jan. 26 around 5:22 a.m., a Kinsolving Dormitory student discovered a male had entered her room and cuddled with her. The student reported screaming, followed by the male running from the room. University of Texas at Austin Police Department was called to the resident hall. During the investigation, the officers reported searching the hall floor and discovering the man had entered the room from the adjoining room where he was then discovered. The man has been identified as a UT student. He stated he was spending the night with a friend. A Kinsolving resident assistant and UTPD escorted the student from the building.

            UTPD Crime Prevention Specialist Officer Darrell Halstead said students play a key part in campus safety.

            “Being observant is the best thing you as a student can do to help UTPD,” Halstead said. “We want people to report things and be aware of their surroundings.”

      “It is important for students to pay attention to Campus Watch and to stay up-to-date on the latest activities reported on campus,” Halstead said.

      San Jacinto dormitory resident Ebenezer Rosiji subscribes to Campus Watch.

            “Despite the seriousness of the crime alerts that clog our inboxes, we tend to respond with a quick ‘did you hear about...?’ to our friends and then click the ‘delete’ button, going about our daily business without much change to our usual behavior,” Rosiji said in an email.

            Jester East Resident Assistance Aysha Welch says it is important for students to pay attention to the alerts they receive via email and text.

            “Part of our job is safety and we want to do our job, but we need residents help,” Welch said.

             According to Inside Higher Ed, an experts guide to college, crime rates and reported incidences have fallen across college campuses in the past years. Halstead says this is due to students being more transparent with cops and school officials.

            “You are only as safe as you allow yourself to be,” Halstead said. “If you do not take the safety measures in place and report what is going on, you put yourself at risk.”

            UTPD Crime Prevention Specialist Officer Layne Brewster seconds this approach.

            “It is up to all of us. It is your campus too, so when you see things, report it,” Brewster said.

            In addition to reporting incidents on campus, San Jacinto Senior Resident Assistant Jasmine Powell says it is important to follow safety measures put in place by the university.

            “Resident halls have policies in place to keep students safe,” Powell said. “Security programming is provided throughout the year and residents must check-in their guests.”

            The Division of Housing and Food Service at UT suggests students to follow the safety measures below:

• Locked doors to hallways, bathrooms and access from the outside should never be propped, the lock disabled in any form, or the door held open for an unknown person.

• For your protection, tell your roommate or RA about unusual destinations and expected times of return.

Signs of Crime

The following situations may indicate criminal activity and should be reported to your Residence Hall Staff and University Police:

• A scream or call for help
• A strange, unescorted person on your floor
• A broken window
• Seeing someone you do not know or recognize:
• Entering your neighbor's room
• Entering an office or lab with no apparent business to transact
• Loitering in a parking lot, near your residence hall, or work area
• Carrying two bicycles
• Trying to break or pry a car window

Intruders

• It is usually best not to yell out or try to detain an offender. The person may panic and react in an unpredictable manner. Usually the offender will run away when spotted.
• If the offender runs away, do not follow, but do try to notice which direction the person goes. If there is a place from which you can observe safely, such as a window, watch to see if the offender gets into a car, goes to another building, etc.
• Try to get a good description of the offender. If the person speaks to you remember what was said and how it was said.
• Report incidents and suspicious persons to your RA and UTPD.