Students express safety concerns

Fewer than 15 students showed up for a forum on public safety in the David Rittenhouse Laboratories last night. The forum -- sponsored by the the Division of Public Safety, the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life, the Undergraduate Assembly and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly -- was designed to give students an opportunity to voice their concerns about safety on campus. Among the topics discussed were how not to become a victim of crime and what students can do to protect themselves while traveling on and around campus. But before the discussion began, various people noted the lack of students at the forum. "I feel embarrassed to be an undergraduate when so few people show up," said College junior Dana Caldwell, who is the security representative of the Panhellenic Council. "So many people said this is an important issue and they're not here." Once the dialogue began, however, people generally agreed that the crime problem was predominantly on the periphery of campus. "The campus, I think, is very safe," Philadelphia Police 18th District Captain Jack McGinnis said. "When you become unsafe is when you walk off campus." McGinnis, whose district includes the University, said he regularly speaks to the people arrested for felonies in his district. He said robberies are almost always "crimes of opportunity," and told students that common sense can often protect students. "As long as you don't present that opportunity to them you will be safer," he said. University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said it is important for students not to feel that they are fighting the University's neighboring community. "[It's not] we the people of Penn against them, the people of West Philadelphia," he said. College senior Nicole Ginsburg said the community could be made a lot safer if "students look out for each other." She said her off-campus block tried to organize a town watch, but the effort failed for lack of student involvement. Wharton sophomore Jonathan Brightbill said he is currently trying to organize a student-run town watch on campus. "We need to let students feel that there is something they can do to make the campus a safer place," he said. "And that is why I want to organize a town watch of the students for the students." Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson and Wharton junior Dan Debicella said funding for the town watch will likely come up at the next UA meeting Sunday night. Escort Service was another issue that discussed at the forum. College senior Jeremy Chiappetta, president of the Newman Council, said the Campus Loop service should be eliminated. Chiappetta said students should not use this "campus taxi," but rather should be encouraged to use Walking Escort in order to put more people on the streets after dark. The audience became more serious when Wharton senior Samir Shah, who was shot in the abdomen last August at 39th and Pine streets, spoke. "Anywhere off campus my heart is beating fast," he said. "There is so much emotion involved in something this seriously," he added.

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