Student Council unanimously passed a resolution recommending the improvement of several hazardous areas on and off Grounds at its meeting last night.
Each year, Council's Safety Concerns Committee conducts "safety walks" to inspect the status of the safety on Grounds. They then file a report n their findings.
The committee's 27-page report highlighted the findings from its assessment made in the fall and winter of 2000.
Unlit areas on and off Grounds posed the most pressing, short-term threat to safety, said Kristen Hamm, College representative and Resolution co-sponsor.
"I could give about 20 different locations that need to be better lit," Council Safety Concerns Committee Chair Letty Lau said. "A lot of work has been done in the last year but there still needs to be more."
The report will be sent to several different groups, including faculty, outside contracted companies and the University Safety and General Security Committee, which exists to realize the safety recomendations made by the Council.
"The people we're dealing with really respect the work we're doing," Hamm said.
The purpose of the University Safety and General Security Committee is to realize the short-term recommendations made by Council.
"It is a lot easier for them to complete the recommendations because they can actually refer to the report and the problems that we found," Lau said.
According to Council's short-term recommendations, the University Safety and General Security Committee would contact on-Grounds crews, private property owners and fraternity and sorority houses to improve the conditions in the areas for which they are responsible.
Cutting foliage for better lighting and visibility will be the easiest because it only requires calling Grounds crews, Lau said.
The committee also made recommendations for long-term steps toward improved safety. These include expanding the emergency telephone system, adding blue phones and lights, and installing pedestrian warning lights, sidewalks and crosswalks.
The report also recommended, action to discover "new ideas to increase safety or prevent crossing of the railroad tracks from Chancellor Avenue to Virginia Avenue."
"There is still nothing done about the hazardous situation at the railroad track," Lau said. "People are still walking the path."
In the past, the University and Council committees considered placing a fence to prohibit students from crossing the tracks. Liability and jurisdiction problems stopped this from occurring, Lau said.
In the past, much success has come out of the safety report.
"Last year's report was very successful in that a number of offices around the University took notice and made the suggested changes," Executive Vice President Matt Madden said.
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