Student safety is main priority, Jones says

By Stanland Bryant
Staff Writer

Due to recent violent incidents that occurred on the UNC-Wilmington campus, questions about student safety at UNCP have been raised. A task force created by UNC President Molly Corbett Broad was dispatched to evaluate and assess student safety on all UNC campuses.

All measures that were suggested by the task force to each campus had already been implemented at UNCP. Many students were concerned with background checks and the accessibility to resident halls. In a recent interview with the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Diane Jones, some of these issues were addressed.

“Staff is assigned to every dorm, fire drills are run, and the access codes to each hall are changed periodically,” Jones said in regards to safety in the residence halls.

Jones also stressed the fact that the promotion of safety on campus has always been an ongoing effort by her department, the SGA and campus police.

“Background checks will be done on an as needed basies for students, but will definitely be required of future staff who live in resident halls,” Jones said.

Resident students are also provided with educational programs in the dorms about safe sex and rape. Prospective students are questioned about criminal offenses on applications and those who are transferring are required to submit a University questionnaire from their previous school which will help determine if UNCP is the right school for that individual.

In addition to the placement of blue light phones that can summon police at the touch of a button, there are security cameras across campus and there has been a continuous endeavor to provide lighting for students and faculty who walk the campus at night. Jones also notes that there is a service that provides police escorts to students who are concerned with their safety at night.