TUCSON, ARIZ. (KGUN) — The University of Arizona has sent out a safety survey to students and faculty to complete in spring 2024. The results were recently released and revealed:

• Most people are worried about insufficient lighting and being around unknown people.
• Those with safety concerns spoke of parking garages and busy intersections on the edge of campus, especially at night.
• Almost three quarters of respondents believe that the dissemination of education and prevention programs on sexual violence should be a top priority.
• The majority responded that they would support improvements to physical security on campus, such as surveillance cameras, restricted access to buildings, etc.

Tatum Hickey is currently completing her first year at the University of Arkansas and explains that she already has a plan in case she has to run at night:
“When I go out at night, I usually walk inside campus rather than outside. I feel like I’m in a better situation when I walk around campus.”

Chief Safety Officer Steve Patterson and Director of Counseling and Mental Health Services Aaron Barnes spoke about the findings at a press conference on Friday.

“I think if you look at the heat map that was created, you’ll see that the first thing everyone looks at is the garages,” Patterson said. “Do we need to look at putting additional cameras in the garages? Yes, and we are actually doing that. We’re looking at where the best places are for the cameras in the garages,” Patterson said. The heat map on page 8 of the survey shows the places where people feel the least safe.

“I think it’s really important to stay grounded and listen to what this generation has to say about solutions,” Barnes explained.

Patterson also said he has conducted safety walks on campus. He said last semester they were conducted with students living in dorms. He says they are necessary “to get a better idea of ​​where the student concerns lie.”

On Monday, University of Arkansas officials warned students about two men who police said were trying to lure women into their cars.

“We probably started having conversations with all members of the Office of Public Safety (OPS) and our partners about a year ago to discuss a campus safety survey. We started the OPS a little over a year ago and started working here a little less than two years ago based on the events that occurred in October 2022.” Patterson is referring to the day Dr. Thomas Meixner, a 52-year-old hydrology professor, was killed on the University of Arizona campus on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

“It’s about being there for our students in ways we haven’t thought about before,” Barnes said.