Daniel O’Dette’s recent editorial (“Campus needs better security,” April 2) provoked conversation about campus safety. While O’Dette argued that security needs to be reformed, I believe that campus security is doing an exceptional job keeping students safe. Responsibility falls on students to be aware of their surroundings, especially in public spaces like the student union or the library, because campus security can only respond to the threats it knows about.
It was due to the alertness of students that security was initially tipped off to the man’s inappropriate behavior in the library. Campus security and the library then notified their student employees to report the man to security if he returned to campus. When the man returned to the library later, several different students independently notified security, and security arrived within minutes with four members of the Hillsdale police force to escort him off the premises and ban him from returning to college property. Security’s response was decisive, appropriate, and prompt.
Campus security also responded admirably to another incident several days ago. My housemates and I had just arrived at the cemetery to take some pictures when security drove up and notified us that two students we had passed on our walk to the cemetery had called 911 because a suspicious-looking man seemed to be watching and following them. Because a campus security vehicle was already circulating in the area, they were able to respond to the potential threat immediately, check out the situation, and even drive my friends and me back to our off-campus house. The other students conducted themselves perfectly by calling 911 when they felt unsafe, and campus security responded commendably to the potential threat.
Observing the quick and appropriate response of security to student tips in these situations convinced me that campus security takes its responsibility to students very seriously, but that students also have a reciprocal responsibility to notify security when something makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened.
What students such as O’Dette don’t appreciate is that there are good reasons why many campus buildings are open to the public. For example, Mossey Library is a member of the Michigan E-Library Catalogue (MELCat) system, which enables faculty, students and staff to borrow books from other Michigan libraries. As a member of this system, we must allow card holders from any MELCat member library to check out our resources on-site. Library policy also contains provisions for members of the community to pay a fee to receive a community user card, giving them the right to check out our materials. Belonging to an institution of higher learning, the Mossey Library also allows non-card holders to conduct research on-site.
Students also benefit from the college’s open policy. Can you imagine hosting visiting family or friends if the student union, library, athletic complex, and classroom buildings were only accessible with a college ID card? What about visiting donors or prospective students? It is wrong to discriminate between who “belongs” and who is an “intruder” based solely on traits such as attire and appearance. The campus must remain open to all. Hillsdale is not, and cannot become, an exclusive club or gated community.
Recent events on this campus may have burst the illusory Hillsdale bubble, but we must remember that the presence of members of the community on our campus is not an “invasion” or a breach of security. Our campus is, and ought to be, open to the public, provided that guests respect that privilege. Closing off our campus in the way O’Dette suggests is not only impractical, but would also widen the town-gown divide. We are part of the broader Hillsdale community and must maintain the open and friendly atmosphere of our campus toward all guests, regardless of their origin or appearance. Students can be confident that campus security is ready and able to handle potential threats, but should still remain aware of their surroundings and notify security immediately if they believe there is an issue. If you see guests or “outsiders” on this campus, greet them respectfully with a smile, but if you see something suspicious, let security know so it can respond appropriately.
