| One of the most prominent issues universities are dealing with today is public safety. Campuses all over the country are experiencing a new level of scrutiny and, in many cases, negative news coverage.
The University of North Carolina system historically has taken the issue seriously, and its latest initiative was headed by Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr., and his North Carolina State University colleague, Chancellor Randy Woodson.
Beginning last fall, Martin and Woodson led a group of administrators, police officials, faculty and students in examining how the 17 campuses deal with sexual assault and other violent crimes, campus security, and crime reporting. Their report was released last summer.
The two chancellors spoke about their work on UNC-TV’s “North Carolina Now” program. The interview is available online; it gives Martin and Woodson an extended opportunity to talk about the report and its recommendations.
The UNC General Administration summarized the report’s major recommendations as:
Adopting a University-wide policy and informed practices to help prevent sexual violence and guarantee professional, compassionate responses when incidents of sexual assault do occur. Offering system-level guidance on legal compliance and training.
Setting standards for disciplinary proceedings on every campus that are clear, prompt, and fair. In cases involving sexual assault and other violent offenses, ensuring student well-being by staffing disciplinary panels with trained and experienced personnel, rather than students.
Combatting a culture of alcohol abuse that inflicts lasting harm on students, undermines the educational mission of the University, and threatens the safety of campus communities. This is crucial in preventing safety threats and working to end interpersonal violence on campus.
Acknowledging the increased expectations—and accompanying legal mandates—that campuses face with respect to student safety, and identifying the considerable resources needed to meet them.
Martin has moved quickly to begin implementing the recommendations. A&T recently hired its first Clery Act coordinator, an official in the University Police Department responsible for reporting the university’s crime statistics in compliance with federal law requiring universities to accurately record crime statistics and make them available to the public.
A&T’s annual Security and Fire Safety Report was issued October 1, as required by the Clery Act. It is available online.
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