| I wanted to throw in a word about Otterbein security; it really is an impressive and reassuring department. I'm not trying to start a panic here, since this was very unusual for Otterbein...but there were some "incidents" last year of robbery...students being approached and told to hand over their purses/wallets, if I recall correctly. There were also some robberies in town, near campus. The campus security response was both swift and effective. Students were notified by e-mail almost immediately, and notices were posted in the dorms. Students were reminded that security escorts were available when walking the campus, and for a short period, they even had student security guards patrolling inside the dorms. The administration took the additional steps of reevaluating campus lighting, and additional lighting was ordered for installation. My daughter said that although there was initially some anxiety amongst the students, she felt that security was so responsive that students felt safer. Security is obviously required to meet the Clery requirements, but they went well beyond the "letter of the law" in order to give the students a sense of security and empowerment (self-defense classes were started within weeks of the first robbery). I should add that the suspected assailant(s) were thought to be from off-campus, and the Westerville police did make some arrests related to the town incidents.
After my daughter informed me about this, she started rehearsals for the operas and was frequently heading back to her dorm late in the evening. I asked her to call for an escort, if necessary (although usually she travelled "in a pack" with other opera performers), and she said it usually wasn't an issue...security knew of the late rehearsals and often had someone waiting for them as they left.
And last, but far from least, when my daughter developed appendicitis (the day before winter quarter finals!), security took the lead (after being contacted by the RA) and arranged for the ambulance to take her to the hospital. They sent someone over to the dorm to wait with her until the ambulance arrived and help with manning the doors (and ensuring dorm security) while the EMTs carried her out. When she got back to campus (sans appendix) the next day, the first phone call she got was from security, asking her how she was and if she needed any assistance. It was the first of many phone calls she received from administrators and professors, but I was very impressed and touched that the security people took the time to follow-up on her emergency. My daughter was impressed too; she says that the security people are some of her favorite people of those who work in a non-teaching capacity on-campus. |