Speaking in the wake of two major crimes in on-campus housing
areas, Chancellor Albert Carnesale said Friday that he is “of
course” concerned about any serious violence at UCLA, but
that overall the campus is still very safe.
“We all recognize the seriousness of it,” said
Carnesale, who added that the housing administration, University
Police and the office of the vice chancellor of student affairs are
all working with his office to consider new ways to ensure students
are as safe as possible.
“(Addressing safety) has always required a collaboration
among a group of senior people working together, and that’s
what’s going on now,” he said.
Carnesale spoke less than a week after assailants carrying guns
robbed a Saxon suite, and about two months after students visiting
UCLA from Carson High School raped a UCLA student in her De Neve
Plaza dorm room.
Even given the magnitude of the crimes, Carnesale said
administration should not overreact, “in the sense of
markedly undermining the experience of residential life that
students have.”
He added, though, it is even more important the administration
not underreact “in order to make sure that we do our best …
to make sure this kind of activity doesn’t repeat
itself.”
Carnesale said safety issues must be dealt with in two ways:
rethinking the access people have to on-campus living areas and
educating students so they can help themselves stay out of
danger.
Many options have been discussed in terms of limiting access
strangers can have to on-campus living spaces. After the rape in
December, many students said the De Neve buildings should have
check-in desks, like the high-rise residential halls do at
night.
After the armed robbery, UCPD and housing officials said
Community Service Officers would increase patrols on the Hill.
Alfred Nam, an assistant housing director, said the
administration has even considered building a wall around the
suites. Hitch and Saxon suites each have their own door, and are
less protected than rooms in De Neve, Sunset or the high-rises.
But the chancellor echoed what other administrators have said
for months: whatever policies are in place, students should be
aware and report all suspicious activity.
“If you see people hanging around that you don’t
recognize … let people know,” Carnesale said.
After the armed robbery, one student living in an on-campus
housing unit asked to break contract with housing, according to
Housing Director Michael Foraker. That contract was ended, and any
more requests of that nature will be dealt with on a case-by-case
basis.
Carnesale said he views such a system to be fair.
“I certainly understand people’s concern,” he
said. “But it’s not clear to me that wherever they
would live instead would be safer. As a matter of fact, I doubt it
would be safer.”
Addressing parents’ concerns that they often don’t
know about crime around their children’s living spaces,
Carnesale said a good idea would be to implement a link on the UCLA
Web page updating parents and others about recent crimes on
campus.
Such a link will likely be added eventually, he said.
With reports from Amy Frye, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.