2008 Woodie Awards
SAFEWalk's absence reduces options
Perceived risks greater as construction obstructs, darkens pathways
Royal Purple staff
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: Opinion
As children, there's that request many of us dreaded: "Go down to the basement and fetch me some of those frozen green beans."
Anxiety built as you headed down the stairs into the dank, poorly-lit pit of deceit. Reaching into the freezer you grabbed the bag and shut the ice-covered door. Fear gripped you. You broke into a run and got out of the basement as quickly as you could.
This trip was so scary because of the boogey man, a monster who was obviously lying in wait for the right time to make crazy noises and snatch you up with his big gooey, hairy or whatever other insane appendages you dreamt up.
These days the boogey man is a thing of the past (for most of us) but the the feeling of unseen danger remains-crossing campus late at night with seemingly no one around is one of the instances when we are most vulnerable, and our senses often let us know.
The intimidation factor has only increased in recent times, if only temporarily. Construction around campus compounds the problem. Lighting is even worse than normal, and walking routes are convoluted, taking students through areas prime for a mugger seeking that easy opportunity.
Moreover, the program that offered nighttime escorts for those who feel uncomfortable traversing campus, SAFEWalk, was cut last January.
University Police Chief Matt Kiederlen said the program was dramatically underutilized, receiving less than six requests per month.
"We were spending $8,000-10,000 per year doing SAFEWalk," he said. "When you look at the number of calls compared to the cost, it just didn't make sense."
Whitewater Student Government made efforts to save the program, at times approving between $400 and $500 in assistance. Kiederlen said the money was never received, and even had it been, it was not nearly enough to prop up the program.
"If someone really wanted the program and found the money I would have no problem administering it," he said.
We here at the Royal Purple feel that even despite its lack of use, SAFEWalk is a well-known service where merely the knowledge it existed provided a level of security. Its elimination seems like a step backward and opens the door for new problems.
Anxiety built as you headed down the stairs into the dank, poorly-lit pit of deceit. Reaching into the freezer you grabbed the bag and shut the ice-covered door. Fear gripped you. You broke into a run and got out of the basement as quickly as you could.
This trip was so scary because of the boogey man, a monster who was obviously lying in wait for the right time to make crazy noises and snatch you up with his big gooey, hairy or whatever other insane appendages you dreamt up.
These days the boogey man is a thing of the past (for most of us) but the the feeling of unseen danger remains-crossing campus late at night with seemingly no one around is one of the instances when we are most vulnerable, and our senses often let us know.
The intimidation factor has only increased in recent times, if only temporarily. Construction around campus compounds the problem. Lighting is even worse than normal, and walking routes are convoluted, taking students through areas prime for a mugger seeking that easy opportunity.
Moreover, the program that offered nighttime escorts for those who feel uncomfortable traversing campus, SAFEWalk, was cut last January.
University Police Chief Matt Kiederlen said the program was dramatically underutilized, receiving less than six requests per month.
"We were spending $8,000-10,000 per year doing SAFEWalk," he said. "When you look at the number of calls compared to the cost, it just didn't make sense."
Whitewater Student Government made efforts to save the program, at times approving between $400 and $500 in assistance. Kiederlen said the money was never received, and even had it been, it was not nearly enough to prop up the program.
"If someone really wanted the program and found the money I would have no problem administering it," he said.
We here at the Royal Purple feel that even despite its lack of use, SAFEWalk is a well-known service where merely the knowledge it existed provided a level of security. Its elimination seems like a step backward and opens the door for new problems.
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