Common sense still the best security at IU

IU does a lot to keep its students safe, but students must do their part as well.

The residence halls at IU have many safety features designated to help freshmen.

After 12 a.m., the entrances to the residence halls are locked, and students can only enter the building with a key card.

Some people wish to enter the building during late hours but don’t have a key card with them. Students might want to be helpful, but they should not allow those late-comers in, Bill Shipton said, director of student residential programs and services and judicial officer for the campus judicial system. The key-card system is very high-tech. Swiping a key-card can determine when a student has entered the residence hall or room.

“This may seem Big Brother-ish,” Shipton said. “But it really helps to keep track of missing students.” 

Cameras in and around the residence halls serve the same purpose, Shipton said.

Resident assistants and police officers go on rounds to ensure that students are being safe late at night and during the early mornings.

Many students think rounds are meant to get them in trouble, but it is really to benefit them, Shipton said. Students, however, will get in trouble if they are found participating in illicit activities.

The campus is well lit around the residence halls and parking lot, Shipton said.

If students are having a bad experience while walking around campus — during the day or at night — they can get the IU Police Department to come their way without even calling them.

Emergency stations around campus contact the IUPD and flash a blue light when a student pushes the button, Shipton said.

Students can also make use of the safety escort, a service meant to provide students with an alternative to walking alone at night. The service is free and can transport a student anywhere on campus and from campus to an off-campus location. Students simply must provide their 10-digit student ID number to the dispatcher and show their student ID when entering the vehicle. The number is 812-855-SAFE.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TAKE THAT RED PARTY CUP

We won’t talk you out of drinking on a Friday night. No one else will, either. College is about making decisions for yourself. We just want you to be safe.

Here are a few things you should know if you do choose to attend that first big kegger.

You probably think it would never happen to you, but drinking can be dangerous. According to 2007 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 23,199 alcohol induced deaths, and some have occurred on this campus.

People who are new to drinking typically have low tolerances for alcohol, so don’t overdo it. When you drink too much and pass out, your gag reflexes (which prevent choking) and your breathing can be suppressed. People who have drank enough to pass out are at risk of choking to death on their own vomit or suffering from alcohol poisoning, which results in emergency room visits or sometimes, death.

It’s important to know that if you see a friend who is showing signs or symptoms of alcohol poisoning, don’t hesitate to call 911. You won’t get in trouble for saving someone’s life.

The risk
Another issue that can come with college parties is sexual assault. As many as one in four college women experience unwanted sexual intercourse in the United States, and many of these incidents happen at or after parties. The danger comes from a difference in expectations between men and women, said Elizabeth Armstrong, an IU assistant sociology professor, in a 2006 press release. The majority of sexual assaults involve alcohol. Here are some tips to help you out.
» Watch for people who pressure you to drink or seem overly enthusiastic about getting you drunk.
» Be careful with mixed punches or “Jungle Juice.” Their contents and alcohol volume are often a mystery.
» Don’t leave your drink unattended.
» Never leave a friend alone when she or he has had too much to drink.
» Make arrangements with friends to stick together and agree on when to intervene if things look like they’re getting out of hand.
» Stay in a public place, like the dance floor or seating area, and stay out of private rooms.
» Know where you are and how to get home. Always at least have cash for a cab and don’t rely on someone you don’t know to give you a ride.
» Trust your instincts. If you think someone is a creep, that person is most likely a creep.

DID YOU KNOW...
...that the IU Health Center has a Sexual Assault Crisis Service (SACS)? This service offers crisis intervention, individual and group counseling and educational programming. It is available for any member of the IU community for free. The service has a 24-hour telephone line, which will put you in touch with a specially trained counselor who can answer your questions and further assist you. The phone number is 812-855-8900. If you are in immediate danger, don’t hesitate to call 911.