SGA searches for security threats on annual walk

SGA Senate and Cabinet broke into small groups to search campus to check blue light emergency phones and the lighting of certain areas as well as other safety precautions following Monday night’s Senate meeting.

SGA holds a security walk across campus each semester to assess the possible security risks to make formal recommendations to Campus Safety and Security.

Ten groups of about 10 members took different routes through specific parts of campus. Administrators from Campus Safety and Security as well as members of the Auburn Police Division alongside SGA members in each group.

Grant Johnson, AVP of facilities, advised the groups to make the walk personal.

“If that’s your grandchild or younger brother, mom or dad, going through that, think about them,” Johnson said. “If they were to get hurt from that certain thing that’s wrong, then how mad would you be?”

Specifically, the groups checked for landscaping hazards, the effectiveness of blue lights, exposed electrical equipment and lighting in pedestrian areas.

“We’re here to serve Auburn students by ensuring their safety across campus,” Johnson said. “That begins here, it begins in the classroom, it begins everywhere on campus. Even though we go through the safety walk, just keep in my mind, that safety doesn’t stop.”

Groups marked any safety concern it could find on the route, and the group gave each concern a rating between one and 10 for the level of concern.

A group walking down Magnolia Avenue identified a blue light emergency phone that was unresponsive at 302 W. Magnolia Ave.

At another blue light, the respondent to the emergency line returned with the incorrect location of the blue light. The group promptly provided the correct address.

Additionally, the group identified an overhanging limb next to Cater Hall that appeared to be dead, and the group gave the limb a six on the risk assessment sheet. The group identified multiple areas of campus where the lighting could improve for night-time pedestrians.

“It’s always going to be a learning opportunity,” Johnson said. “You can’t always assess everything. I’m an engineer, so I have a very systematic way of thinking about it. Sometimes this system doesn’t work, but right now, it’s working great.”

The reports from all the groups will be compiled and analyzed, then a formal memorandum will be submitted advocating to resolve any safety concerns at the end of the semester.

Prior to the walk, Senate passed a bill to expand UPC’s Welcome Week fund by $8391.83. The funding will cover the cost to expand Welcome Week by two days to include a film and a carnival.

SGA also confirmed the appointmenrs for the 2018-2019 Organization Board.

A bill was discussed as a future order of business to raise the Big Event’s funding by $13,000 to create a website. The website is intended to cut down on the paperwork needed to organize the volunteer information.