SGA looks to illuminate campus safety

This fall the JMU campus will look a little brighter as the SGA looks to install several new lighting and safety measures at the north end of Greek Row.

In a press conference April 21 at 6 p.m., the SGA will announce the location of these lights.

The new lighting improvement initiative aims to improve the security of students on campus by increasing the number of emergency blue lights as well as overall lighting improvements.

"We are an extremely safe campus but more can be done and more needs to be done," said Student Body President Tom Culligan.

JMU Chief of Police Lee Shifflett reiterated Culligan’s point, saying, "While crime on campus is low, if you are a victim in that small percentage, then the crime rate is not low enough."

In order to assess which areas need lighting changes most, the SGA met with Shifflett and student groups such as Campus Assault ResponsE to determine the areas where students had the most concerns about the lack of light.

"We, as an organization, had heard complaints, especially about Greek Row, where girls didn’t feel safe at night," said senior C.A.R.E. President Erin Curley.

Culligan, several members of SGA, Shifflett and Dave Mars, engineering manager of JMU’s Facilities Management, then conducted a "lighting tour," where they drove or walked every inch of the JMU campus to determine which areas had the highest priority for lighting improvements.

Areas deemed to be in immediate need of lighting changes will have lights installed over the summer and will be ready for students when they arrive in the fall, Culligan said.

Additionally, Shifflett said campus cadets conduct nightly light reports, where they report on lights that are not functioning and areas where shrubbery and brush need to be cleared to improve visibility.

Culligan, who had included lighting improvement as part of his platform when running for student body president, said that the implementation of the lighting displays both the SGA’s and the university administration’s commitment to students’ safety, and following through when a concern is brought forward.