Blog reflection and safety abroad

My first blogging experience was interesting. To be honest, I like journalism better when it includes the reporting, editing and publishing for a newspaper or magazine. But the appealing qualities of a blog include the more casual approach and opportunity to express your thoughts in a less-polished manner. I like that you can share whatever you’re thinking, even though it may not be material for a formal news story. 

Though it is certainly easy to blog, I think the main reason I didn’t do a great job of keeping up with my DPS blog is because blogging isn’t my preferred journalistic outlet. I found it difficult to sit down and think of things to blog about for assignment purposes. I think I may be in a better place to blog when it is not on a schedule and I have thoughts I am truly eager to share with world via this medium. This happened a few times this semester regarding public safety, but not twice a week.

One subject I think is perfectly worthy of a blog is studying abroad. As I venture to Madrid next semester I know I will want to share stories about my travels, my new experiences, and pictures, and a blog may be the perfect way to do this.

In keeping with my public safety theme of this semester’s blog, I figured I’d leave you with some links about safety abroad from the SU Abroad Web site. Stay tuned… my Madrid blog may just be on its way.

http://studyabroad.syr.edu/concrete/index.php/accepted_students/health_and_safety/su_abroad_safety_guidelines/

http://studyabroad.syr.edu/concrete/index.php/accepted_students/health_and_safety/traveling_safely/

http://studyabroad.syr.edu/concrete/index.php/accepted_students/health_and_safety/socializing_safely/

DPS’ daily crime logs

After a semester of seeing many e-mail notifications from the Department of Public Safety, I thought the student body was pretty well informed about the safety concerns and criminal activity on and off campus. However, after looking at DPS’s crime logs, I believe that most students are in the dark when it comes to knowing about all the illegal activity that actually occurs on and off campus. Looking through the crime logs, I found multiple “burglaries” and “larcenies,” reports about off-campus houses broken into, and various other altercations. But what surprised me is how students are notified about robberies, but not when houses (that could be close to them if they live off campus) are broken into and things are stolen. Many students felt quite unsafe after the e-mails they got this semester, but if they knew everything that truly went on I think a lot more students would be more cautious. 

The link to see Syracuse University’s DPS crime logs is http://publicsafety.syr.edu/students/crime_logs.html.

DPS programs

The main programs Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety has to offer are Rape Aggression Defense, Orange Watch, Adopt-a-hall, and Students for Community Safety. I learned about the programs and all they have to offer on DPS’s Web site. Below is a quick summary of these valuable programs.

Rape Aggression Defense is a nationally known women’s self defense program. The course is 12 hours broken up over 4 weeks. To learn more about the program, visit http://publicsafety.syr.edu/students/rad.html.

Orange Watch, a new program, expanded DPS’ coverage throughout campus. Orange Watch officers patrol throughout the year. There are more officers on patrol on weekends, and between 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. The program further promotes the safety of the students. To learn more about the program, visit http://publicsafety.syr.edu/students/orange_watch.html.

Adopt-a-hall allows public safety officers to go to different residence halls and talk to students about safety. The late Major Grant Williams was well known for the way he interacted with students in the adopt-a-hall program. To learn more about this program, visit http://publicsafety.syr.edu/students/adopt_hall.html.

Lastly, Students for Community Safety are the students who work the following DPS services: Residential Security Program (security desk people in residence halls), the Campus Escort Service (they walk with students so students don’t have to walk alone when they feel unsafe) and Shuttle-U-Home (a service that provides transportation for off-campus students). To learn more about all of these services, visit http://publicsafety.syr.edu/students/comm_safety.html.

Quick recap of safety issues

Robberies: At the beginning of the semester it seemed like we received an email notifying us of a robbery on an almost weekly basis. For the past month, this hasn’t been the case. Who’s to say if increased DPS patrol is the reason for the decrease, or simply the weather, but lets hope it stays this way for a while.  

Stabbings: At the beginning of the semester there was also a stabbing at a fraternity house. This seemed like an unheard-of event on our campus so the fact it happened further heightened fear and security.

MayFest: With the popular day cancelled, safety concerns were raised about what would happen if students skipped class and partied on Euclid anyways. SU’s Student Association views this as a valid concern and is working with university administrators to try to reinstate a day off for students. That way, the day can be better regulated for the well-being and safety of the students who partake in the festivities on Euclid Avenue, rather than having them on the streets without any pre-conceived safety plans.

SU doesn’t rank in 2009

Though Reader’s Digest has not released an updated list of the safest colleges since February 2008, The Daily Beast released “The Top 25 Safest Colleges” and a ranking of the most crime ridden campuses. Syracuse University was not on either list. Party of The Daily Beast’s methodology included looking at crime statistics of the colleges over the past two years. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the methodology of The Daily Beast’s survey, or finding out the schools that made the list, this is the link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-09-24/the-top-25-safest-colleges/

Interesting find

In a search for safest colleges in America, I found a ranked list by Reader’s Digest from February 2008. At this time, Syracuse University ranked number 7 in a list of 135 colleges, receiving an “A” grade. 

Reader’s Digest.com gathered the results by sending surveys to 291 colleges, 135 of which responded. The link for the ranked list and methodology is http://www.rd.com/ranking-the-safest-and-worst-college-campuses/article53975.html.

What was left unsaid…

In my profile on Major Grant Williams I had to capture the essence of him in a limited amount of words. And though I’ve been assured by all those who spoke about Grant that the stories and memories are endless, and there are not enough good words to describe him, I wanted to share some quotes from his colleagues and friends that I couldn’t put in the article. 

“He always saw the good in people.” -Chief Callisto

“I’m going to remember Grant really as a mentor and as one of my closest confidants. Even though he was 20 years older than me, he made me feel respected, he made me feel like a boss, he made me feel like a good boss. But at the same time, Grant wasn’t afraid to tell me when he thought I wasn’t being a good boss and I really respected that. He was a great person to have around because he was the voice of reason.” -Chief Callisto

“He was always somebody you were happy to see.” -Stan Kissel

“If I ever had a question about anything, I’d always call Grant. “Grant, what do I do about this” or “How should I handle this” Those types of things, and he’d always come up with an answer. It might not be the most perfect answer, but you felt confident that you were OK. That’s just the way he was. ” -Stan Kissel

“That was one of his lessons. He always had time for students. In his absence, now that he’s gone, I think have to pick that mantle up now.” -Sgt. Ryan Beauford

“Probably the best way to put it is that Grant in a nutshell as a co-worker, as a supervisor, you could have a disagreement with him, and the next day it was like starting from scratch again, and that’s where you’re going to get the repetitiveness about Grant being like a father figure, because he never held your opinion against you.” -Lt. John Sardino

“He was not only respectful of his family, but respectful of your family. Grant knew my wife and all my kids by first name. My wife was sick a while back and not only talked to me but would call and talk to my wife.” -John Sardino

Deputy Chief Drew Buske, the current DPS officer who’s worked with Grant the longest shared a story about being caught in the “technology shift” with him. As the two went from pens and papers to computers, “we were the lost dinosaurs in the department,” said Buske. It became a huge joke between the two of them and whenever Williams would ask Buske where something was on the computer, he’d say it was in the “G-drive.” (which didn’t exist). At an awards ceremony, Buske gave Williams a hard drive with the letter G on it. 

Most of Williams’ closest friends and co-workers called him “GW.”

Major Grant Williams

Major Grant Williams passed away on Friday, Nov. 27. And though  I never met the 41-year veteran of SU’s Department of Public Safety, I find myself missing him. I’ve had the honor of profiling Major Williams and talking to his closest friends and co-workers. In doing so, I’ve gotten an up-close-and-personal look into the life of this SU icon. 

When a person dies, it seems obvious that people will say good things about that person. But it was different when people were talking about Williams. Their voices truly ached with how much they missed him and most people had the same amazing things to say- truly a symbol of the impact  Williams had on all those lives he touched.

Many said he was a father figure. Everyone said that he was always smiling, the best person to talk to and give advice, and his work at SU was centered around the students. Williams came alive to me as people talked about him. I wanted to be the student he cared about, the student that referred to him as ‘dad’ or ‘grandpa’ after a while because the way he listened and took a true interest in students life made “Major Williams” much too formal. I wanted to hear him talk about the importance of family, and helping everyone- even some people who may not deserve it, but who can learn from their mistakes.

And even though I never met Major Grant Williams, I have had the opportunity to be so touched and so inspired by his wisdom and his faith in every single person he encountered that even I, a stranger, will do my best to carry on his legacy. 

Rest in Peace, Major Williams. Though we’ve never met, you’ve helped me become a better person. Your legacy lives on. You are missed.

Nov. 29 robbery

DPS released an e-mail alert to the student body on Nov. 30 about a South Campus robbery that had occurred the previous night. 

The report read, “A group of students reported that at 10:23 p.m. two males entered a South Campus apartment through an unlocked door, stole personal property, and immediately exited the apartment. The students reported that one of the students displayed what appeared to be a firearm. None of the students sustained injuries. The Syracuse Police Department and the Department of Public Safety are investigation. Initial investigation indicates that this does not appear to be a random incident.”

This turned into an interesting situation. One of my co-workers is actually good friends with the students who lived in the South Campus apartment that got robbed. However, those same students are now suspended, and the case is closed, preventing further investigation from discovering the people who broke in. From what I heard, DPS concluded that the incident was drug-related, and the students knew the people who broke in. However, my friend insists that her friends did not know the people who broke into their home, and it was a random incident. Clearly, the details are hazy but I’d like to believe the students wouldn’t be suspended on insufficient premises. On the other hand, it also seems unfair, and sketchy, that the “victims” are being punished, and the offenders have been let loose.

Orange Alert test

On Friday at noon, the Department of Public Safety sent out a test of their Orange Alert notification system. Students received the alert by  text message, phone call, and/or e-mail. I think that this is a very effective alert system, especially because of the text message feature. A notification system only using e-mail is not the most effective way to reach the most students in an emergency because it requires internet access, which many don’t have on the spot. Phone calls may not be successful because many students don’t answer the phone if they don’t know the number calling, or if they are in class. However, text messaging is a common form of communication between most everyone who owns a cell phone. And text messages are read on the spot, and can be easily read even when you’re in the class or don’t know the number that sent it.

I didn’t realize the true importance of an alert system until last year when one day my phone beeped with an Orange Alert from DPS. I almost overlooked it because I thought it was another test, but this one wasn’t. It told students there were shots heard near campus and to proceed to the nearest location and lock the doors. If you were in your door room, the instruction was to barricade your doors. I remember being extremely nervous but also relieved I had been informed.