2008 Woodie Awards
Campus crime information bill in progress
Holly Seabury, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News
SOC began in New Bedford in 1987 after co-founders Connie and recently passed Howard Clery's daughter was raped and murdered at Lehigh University, a private school in Pennsylvania. The group came together when the Clerys found that their daughter's assailant, a fellow Lehigh student, had a history of criminal behavior that was kept quiet by the school to "protect its image."
According to SOC public affairs official John Doherty, the most recent Department of Justice report shows that crime is rising much higher at private schools than at public schools.
"Why shouldn't Massachusetts have one fair standard for the dissemination of campus police crime information?" he asked. "Why should a private college be allowed to do less than a public one? If you don't know what the problems are, how will you know about epidemics?"
Shannon Burchill, from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, said the bill would be a really good idea.
"There are a lot of horrible things that happen on a daily basis around the area because it is right in the city and a lot of students, especially those not from around here, don't realize how close to home these may affect them," she said. "I definitely think that it might cause a negative reaction for some people and deter some from attending, but on the other hand, many students who want to live in a city also know that a lot of crime goes on and it wouldn't affect their decision to apply."
Tiffany Lee, from Bentley College in Waltham, agreed.
"Right now we have a little section in our weekly student newspaper about little things that happen on campus, such as students getting caught with marijuana, etc. However, if there is a major event that is not publicized, I think it should be brought to the students' attention, because it is only fair to us," she said.
Michelle Eston, from Harvard University in Cambridge, did not feel that complete information on campus crime was necessary and said that college students should focus on their own safety.
"The Harvard Police Department sends us e-mail updates on incidents that happen in the area and I really appreciate those updates," she said. "I do think that my school does a good job of keeping violence down, but I think that it's a student's job to act responsibly and try to avoid risky situations."
According to Doherty, the bill must be passed this year. To view the official text of the bill, visit http://safecamp.org/crimebill.html.
Holly Seabury can be reached at hseabury@dailycollegian.com.
According to SOC public affairs official John Doherty, the most recent Department of Justice report shows that crime is rising much higher at private schools than at public schools.
"Why shouldn't Massachusetts have one fair standard for the dissemination of campus police crime information?" he asked. "Why should a private college be allowed to do less than a public one? If you don't know what the problems are, how will you know about epidemics?"
Shannon Burchill, from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, said the bill would be a really good idea.
"There are a lot of horrible things that happen on a daily basis around the area because it is right in the city and a lot of students, especially those not from around here, don't realize how close to home these may affect them," she said. "I definitely think that it might cause a negative reaction for some people and deter some from attending, but on the other hand, many students who want to live in a city also know that a lot of crime goes on and it wouldn't affect their decision to apply."
Tiffany Lee, from Bentley College in Waltham, agreed.
"Right now we have a little section in our weekly student newspaper about little things that happen on campus, such as students getting caught with marijuana, etc. However, if there is a major event that is not publicized, I think it should be brought to the students' attention, because it is only fair to us," she said.
Michelle Eston, from Harvard University in Cambridge, did not feel that complete information on campus crime was necessary and said that college students should focus on their own safety.
"The Harvard Police Department sends us e-mail updates on incidents that happen in the area and I really appreciate those updates," she said. "I do think that my school does a good job of keeping violence down, but I think that it's a student's job to act responsibly and try to avoid risky situations."
According to Doherty, the bill must be passed this year. To view the official text of the bill, visit http://safecamp.org/crimebill.html.
Holly Seabury can be reached at hseabury@dailycollegian.com.
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