Students have only been back at Boston University for a few weeks, but already there have been three reported robberies on and around campus. The number of robberies may be ‘normal’ for this time of year, but it is nevertheless unnerving to the BU community, and should warrant more action than acceptance.
A little common sense on behalf of students when it comes to safety would go a long way. Sometimes, college students need to be reminded that they are not invincible. Walking down a busy street like Commonwealth Avenue in the middle of the night may not seem like a dangerous ordeal, but students must not be under the impression that their safety is guaranteed. In fact, they are even more susceptible to a robbery than the average person. Being in a recession, assailants may be looking for students who are likely carrying laptops, cell phones, music players or other expensive equipment that could be taken apart and sold on the black market.
Students need to take responsibility for their own safety. That means swallowing one’s pride and calling the Escort Security Service, waiting for the BU Shuttle, calling a cab or just using the buddy system. With all these options, students have little room for making excuses about why they put themselves in unsafe situations.
However, something is definitely wrong when a BU employee is attacked in front of a BU building early in the evening. Students and employees have to be aware of their surroundings, but should also have a reasonable expectation of safety when walking on campus at a reasonable hour. The university has a responsibility to do all that it can to foster a safe environment on campus at all times, and should take action. Increasing police presence on campus or extending the hours of the Escort Security Service may be costly, but student safety is priceless.
As we were all told once at orientation, BU is a city school. There are numerous advantages to living in one of the major cities in the United States, but with these benefits there are drawback ‘-‘- namely in the area of safety. The dangers of city living are not what students coming from small towns are used to, but it’s a change to which they must adapt.
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