As news of armed robberies continues to fill the inboxes of Ohio State students, the university received some news Wednesday of fulfilled promises.
Jay Kasey, senior vice president for administration and planning, and Javaune Adams-Gaston, vice president for student life, sent an email first to their colleagues then to students this morning informing them that the university has found ways to improve safety.
Starting Winter Quarter, two additional security vehicles will be available for the Student Safety Service. The Parent’s Advancement Council fund, a volunteer group focused on increasing parent and family involvement, provided $50,000 to fund the vehicles’ purchase and the university provided funds to staff them.
Improvements can also be found in neighborhoods surrounding campus, the email said. Student leadership helped create a Buckeye Block Watch program to create awareness of threats, the email said. University officials are working to improve off-campus lighting.
The email said OSU public safety officials opened discussions with the Columbus Division of Police to enhance two projects in place which include joint patrols and bring more Columbus police to campus in the fall and spring.
The email also encouraged university community members to register their cell phones for the Buckeye Alert and informed them that the new Public Safety Notice system has been implemented.
This email comes after OSU officials formed a task force after a string of armed robberies in the campus area. President E. Gordon Gee accepted the three-part plan to improve safety the task force presented to him on Nov. 29, and it took effect immediately.
