TEXAS TEXASA&M A&MUNIVERSITY–CORPUS UNIVERSITY–CORPUS CHRISTI CHRISTI
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SOFTBALL OPENS SOUTHLAND PLAY
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Students spark safety concerns photo by JAMIE FINK
National concerns for student’s safety on campus reaches high by KACI ALVAREZ staff writer
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earing horror stories from other campuses around the nation about attempted and achieved rape can be terrifying. It is no wonder parents beg their children to carry around pepper spray on their key chain when they are about to leave for college. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students have spoken out about whether or not they feel safe on campus at night and what the school needs do to help them feel safer. “I do think of campus as a safe sanctuary, especially compared to other campuses,” said Kayla Buhr, freshman nutrition major. “I think the size of the campus has a lot to do with that.” Buhr said living on campus is not a worry either because she feels as though it is well monitored and has yet to hear of anything that has happened thus far. “If I had to pick something the campus could do for those students
who do think the campus is not safe, I would say to add more street lights and cops patrolling more frequently,” Buhr said. While most Islander students have no worries about their safety on campus at night, others disagree. Bri England, senior business management major, said she does not feel safe while walking on campus at night. “I usually will call a friend until I’m safely in my car,” England said. “I think if the campus had more lights and emergency stations around it would make the students feel safer.” The emergency stations located around campus are for students to use if they are presented with an emergency. The university calls this program Islander Watch. However, there is only one available station now after three of them were taken down. With only one emergency station on campus, England believes there should be other options for students to feel safer while on the island. “I think our campus should of-
fer an optional self defense course for free so that way if people want to learn it and feel more safe, it is there,” England said. England said other students might feel safer and more comfortable on campus if they were allowed to carry around a self-defense mechanism such as a tasers. “If people feel safer with items like tasers, the school should allow
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photo illustration by ELI BERKE
it,” England said. According to the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Student Code of Conduct, no such items are allowed on campus. With the possibility of campus carry, the Code of Conduct could change. Although Buhr disagrees and England agrees with the see SAFETY on page 4