Students are once again shining a light on the lack of illuminating lights on campus. Many students in the past two years have raised their concerns about a lack of lighting in key areas of campus, including the parking lots of the Deans, Herrick, and Cargo residence halls. In addition, students have noted that the sidewalks past the Merillat Sports & Fitness Center on S. Charles Street can be pitch black at night. They have argued that crime and other safety concerns arise because these areas have inadequate lighting.
“As somebody who walks home at night and sometimes early in the morning, it’s a concern. I don’t feel safe,” said senior Audrey Gray in an interview with the College World last year.
At a meeting of the President’s Advisory Council last spring, many students brought these considerations to Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking. Dr. Docking was supportive of their concerns, and encouraged them to form a committee to identify “dark spots” on campus. Despite this, students took no action during that academic year.
Senior Ben Magnus, who serves on the President’s Advisory Board, says “the committee was originally created last fall but nothing has been done. This is an immediate concern that needs to be taken care of for the safety of the students.”
Magnus adds that this concern has special ramifications due to recent incidents on campus that relate to the increase of homeless in Adrian.
“I don’t go out at night, because I know it’s a problem, and I don’t feel safe. I have friends who feel the same way,” said senior Maria Risner.
However, in a recent meeting of the Student Government Association, Gray motioned to start a committee to bring a report to college administration about the lack of lighting on campus.
“I decided to start this committee because lighting is a really big problem on this campus that needs to be fixed,” Gray said. “It’s a safety concern. If the administration wants the campus to be as nice as the administration thinks it is, then this campus needs to be safe.
The motion passed unanimously, and Gray is now working to form the committee. So far, it has generated interest from a notable number of students, garnering at least seven members of student government who are interested in remedying this problem.
“The next step is for me to meet my committee, talk to them and see what they want to see changed, and eventually we will meet with the appropriate individuals from administration to bring them formal statements,” Gray said.
The student government is looking for additional individuals to take part in the committee. All inquiries should be directed to Gray at [email protected].
