On Sept. 27, The DePauw published a news story regarding the approximately 60 security cameras that we have here on DePauw's campus, located mainly inside of academic buildings. My question to the administration is, if you're going to have these security cameras, why not put them in a place where it is really necessary to have them?
As a first-year who lives in Lucy Rowland Hall, there is nowhere close by to park my car, other than on Hanna Street right outside of my building. Although this means that I need to parallel-park my car on the street, I figured that this would not be an issue, as DePauw is generally a safe place and the University would not let anything happen to my car, right?
Wrong.
As I was getting ready to go home for Fall Break, I happened to notice the massive dent going across the entire drivers' side of my car, left with no note, explanation or apology. Needless to say, I was upset. And when I called Public Safety to ask what they could do about the situation, this is what they told me:
"There is nothing we can do because there is no evidence of what happened; we do not have security cameras outside of your dorm or on that street."
There are multiple cameras located in East College to catch students who are going up to the bell tower when they are not supposed to, but there are none outside of my dorm? It seems to me that the University is more concerned with protecting its own possessions than with protecting its students.
Why the University does not have cameras where actual crimes are likely to be committed is beyond me, but this is something that I feel strongly needs to be changed immediately, not just for my sake, but for the safety of everyone who will ever be living in or walking by the first-year dorms. I find it absolutely ridiculous that the University seems to care more about catching harmless students who try to sneak up to the East College bell tower than they are with the safety of students and their property.
I am very disappointed in the University, and I hope that the administration takes note of this issue and fixes the problem sooner rather than later. I do not want something like this, or worse, to happen to anyone else.
--Block is a freshman from Glenview, Ill. whose major is undecided
