THE PROFESSIONALS
Proposal to Increase UO
Campus Safety at Night
Promoting Safe Activity to Reduce Crime
Ryan Eugenio, Raul Gutierrez, Bergen Houston, Tara Kline, Yilin Luo, Brandon Mitchell
11/12/2012
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
Crime on the University of Oregon campus has increased notably over the last several years. The
number of assault cases against students has increased by over 57% from 2009 to 2011.
Surveyed UO students have said that improving campus safety is an important issue that needs to
be addressed. With the support and funding of the ASUO, we propose a plan to integrate new
safety systems that will protect students and prevent future crime.
Situation Analysis
Currently the University of Oregon has several safety systems in place to prevent and respond do
campus crime. Following is a list of these systems:
 Emergency phone stations (also known as the “blue light” system)
 Nighttime patrols by UOPD officers
 Safe Ride shuttle services
 Self-defense classes offered by the UO
 Support groups for victims of assault or rape (such as S.W.A.T)
These systems have proven to be somewhat ineffective in preventing campus crime. UOPD
dispatch logs show that approximately 95% of the calls from the emergency phones are false or
accidental, and crime rates continue to rise from year to year.
Objectives
 Decrease sexual-offenses by at least 15% from last year’s numbers.
 Raise student safety awareness by designing posters that give crime statistics and map out
the safest well-lit routes on campus.
 Decrease the amount of people walking home alone at night.
 Increase safe activity on campus after dark.
Solutions
Our solution consists of three parts that have to do with creating safe activity on campus at night
and encouraging students to be proactive about their safety. These three parts are:
 Creating a shuttle service to transport students around campus at night
 Posting signs around campus that tell students how to avoid potential assault
 Starting up a Neighborhood Watch program in the community surrounding campus
Costs
The total cost for the golf cart shuttle program is $39,370. The total cost of the awareness signs is
$1,692. The Neighborhood Watch program will not require any funding.
Conclusion
Our proposal aims to decrease crime rates on campus and prevent future crime. We want to
create a safer environment for students who are on the UO campus at night. To protect our
students and look out for their wellbeing, we need support and funding from the ASUO.
INTRODUCTION
There has been a notable increase in nighttime campus crime at the University of Oregon (UO)
over the last several years. From 2009 to 2011, the number of sexual and otherwise physical
assault cases has increased by over 57%. Crime rates continue to rise despite safety systems
meant to protect students from assault and theft at the UO. This affects the overall personal
safety of students who find themselves on campus after dark. Our committee has researched and
found that the UO has many response programs available to students in danger, but has very few
preventative programs. Further research has shown that, of the preventative measures the
university has taken to stop assault, many have proven to be ineffective.
We propose a plan that focuses on improving personal safety and reducing crime on campus. We
intend to do this by creating a shuttle system at night for students to use to get around campus
safely. This will increase the amount of safe activity on campus after dark and encourage
students not to walk alone. We will also post signs that will inform students of safe practices to
use on campus at night, and we will enlist surrounding student communities to form a
Neighborhood Watch program.
SITUATION ANALYSIS
Assault occurring on the University of Oregon campus after dark has been a serious issue for
both male and female students for years. Lately, however, there have been an increased number
of reported muggings, sexual assault, aggravated assault, and burglary cases than there were just
a few years ago. This is shown by statistical trends on campus police reports that document
crime rates on and around the UO campus from 2009 to 2011 (see Appendix A for a breakdown
of what these crimes are). Although the University of Oregon works with the UOPD to improve
campus safety yearly, the number of crimes reported against students continues to rise. Because
of this, we want to give students more preventative options to combat assault and encourage
them to take an active role in their safety.
Current Campus Safety Systems
The University of Oregon currently has several safety systems or services available to students to
help fight on-campus assault. These are:
 Emergency phone stations (also known as the “blue light” system)
 Nighttime patrols by UOPD officers
 Safe Ride shuttle services
 Self-defense classes offered by the UO
 Support groups for victims of assault or rape (such as S.W.A.T)
These systems prevent some crime on campus but most are geared toward responding to an
attack that has already been committed. Our proposal involves doing more to prevent these
attacks in the first place.
How Students Feel About Campus Safety
Our team conducted a survey of how students perceive their safety on campus after dark. The
results are somewhat conflicting. We learned that 93% of students believe that campus is
generally a safe place while 7% believe it is not. However, when we asked students what they
considered to be the biggest issue in need of improvement on campus, they responded that it is
campus safety. 84% of students noted that they feel insecure when they attend classes or events
at night. This indicates a lack of safety that they are aware of.
The second most common concern is sexual assault. Some students noted on our survey that they
feel the UOPD is more concerned with the student drinking problem and substance abuse than
preventing attacks. They generally don’t have much faith in the UOPD to protect them.
Additionally, there is a strongly negative response to the new policy that allows some UOPD
officers to carry firearms.
Ineffectiveness of Current Campus Safety Systems
The most widely-recognized safety system for students on the UO campus right now is the emergency
phone (“blue light”) system. Statistics show, however, that it is largely ineffective. The UOPD dispatch
logs show that, on average, 95% of the calls from the emergency phones are false or accidental (see
Appendix G for exact figures). Of the 686 calls made in the last three years, only one was actually related
to a crime report. This tells us that students who are attacked on campus are unable to use the emergency
phones to prevent assault, and that the phone system is highly abused.
A Three-Part Solution
We see that there is a need to prevent assault and encourage students to use safe practices when they are
on campus after dark. To accomplish this, we propose a three-part solution. It involves:
1. Creating a shuttle system to increase safe activity on campus at night and provide
students with transport across campus so they don’t have to walk alone/unprotected
2. Posting signs to make students aware of how to be safe, protect themselves, and reduce
their risk of being attacked
3. Reaching out to neighborhoods around campus to encourage a Neighborhood Watch
program and empower students to actively participate in keeping their community safe
OBJECTIVES
Decrease sexual-offenses by at least 15% from last year’s numbers.
The UOPD counted 16 forcible sexual offenses last year on campus, in residential halls and in
the communities near campus. We aim to reduce this number by at least 15% by encouraging
students to practice safe behavior when on campus after dark.
Raise student safety awareness by designing posters that give crime statistics and map out the
safest well-lit routes on campus.
There are a lot of safety resources on campus but many people don’t know about them. We want
to make students aware of the preventative and crime response programs that are available to
them in case of an emergency.
Decrease the amount of people walking home alone at night.
We will create a shuttle service that eliminates the need for students to walk alone at night. Signs
will be posted around campus to increase awareness about safe behavior that students should
practice when on campus after dark. These will also note areas of campus to avoid at night.
Increase safe activity on campus after dark.
By creating a shuttle system and raising awareness about safe behavior that students should use,
we will create more activity on campus at night. This will deter assailants because it will provide
them with fewer opportunities to commit crimes. More safe activity on campus creates a safer
campus environment.
SOLUTIONS
To improve the UO’s campus safety conditions and decrease crime rates, we researched what
other universities across the country do. Drawing from these practices, we have come up with a
list of viable solutions that we will adapt for the University of Oregon. Following is a list of
some of the most effective solutions:
 Install more lights in dark areas of campus
 Create a golf cart shuttle service to transport students across campus at night
 Hang signs around campus to warn students about crime “hot spots” and offer safety tips
 Create student groups to promote safe activity and monitor crime in the community
The UO has already green-lighted the installation of more lights along walkways as part of a
project to expand the EMU, so we have turned the main focus of our solution to setting up a new
shuttle service. In addition to this, we propose posting signs around campus to increase
awareness about safe practices and areas to avoid. We also plan to reach out to the community
near the UO campus to set up a Neighborhood Watch program.
Golf Cart Campus Shuttle
Having to walk across campus after dark is inconvenient and unsafe for students because there
are many poorly lit pathways where muggings and assaults have been relatively common. We
propose buying shuttles to transport students to housing areas, parking lots, and bus stops. This
will reduce risk of assault and create more activity on campus at night. Having shuttles
constantly moving around campus will deter potential attackers from approaching students.
Specific Solution
Each shuttle can hold up to eleven people (see appendix C for a picture of the shuttle) and
runs on a chargeable battery. Shuttle drivers will need to be cart-certified, which requires
them to be at least 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license. The shuttles will operate
from 7:00pm to 1:00am and will have four stations marked by signs in different parts of
campus (see Appendix E). The stations will be placed near emergency call boxes (“blue
lights) so they are lit and students who are waiting for shuttles can immediately call for
help if they need it. The shuttle service is free and will only be available to students who
carry a student I.D. card (or can otherwise prove they are a student). They will transport
students to a requested destination and will return to the station immediately after dropoff. If no students are at the station, the shuttle will drive a loop around that area of
campus, passing the station every five to ten minutes.
Benefits
The shuttle service will eliminate the need for students to walk alone on campus at night.
It will be convenient and efficient, as well as safe. The shuttles will create more activity
on campus at night so more people are moving around and there are fewer secluded areas
for attackers to take advantage of. The shuttles are also cost-efficient since they can be
charged and will not require regular fueling.
Safety Awareness Signs
50% of surveyed students have said that they avoid certain parts of campus at night because they
know they are particularly dangerous. Despite this, some people still walk through these areas
and are attacked. These include the areas around the Gerlinger Annex, the Pioneer Cemetery,
Villard, and Hayward Field. We aim to raise awareness about dangerous parts of campus and
inform students about what options they have to help them avoid possible assault.
Specific solution
Safety signs are a low-cost option for getting information out to a large audience. They
will recommend safe behavior for crossing parts of campus where crime is frequently
reported (see Appendix D for information on sign content). Advocacy signs will have
messages to advise students to avoid strangers, remind them to walk in groups, and walk
along main, well-lit paths. Informative signs will notify students when they are entering
an area where nighttime assaults often occur, provide alternate routes, and give directions
to reach safety resources, such as the UOPD. Signs will be displayed along paths and on
walls near areas with high reported levels of crime (see Appendix F for sign placement).
Benefits
The signs will create safety awareness on campus at a low cost. Increased awareness will
encourage students to take the recommended measures to increase their safety. An
increase in safe behaviors will deter attackers and decrease crime rates.
Student-Led Neighborhood Watch
Many of the crimes publicized by the UOPD occur in the neighborhoods right outside of campus
which primarily house students. Crime is prevalent in these areas because students feel safe near
their homes so they walk alone and/or while inebriated, they do not take care to safeguard their
property, and they do not know how to approach a crime in progress. The UOPD monitors these
areas occasionally, but the majority of the arrests they make relate to student drinking and drug
use.
Specific solution
Traditional Neighborhood Watch committees require monthly meetings and newsletters,
but college students cannot be expected to set aside time to do this. We will persuade
students to start their own neighborhood watch by sending out pamphlets to residents of
neighborhoods where assaults are frequently committed. These will give detailed
instructions on how to start a Neighborhood Watch program using Facebook to
communicate with other residents. Residents will join their Neighborhood Watch group
online and once a majority of residents have done this, coordinators will be elected to
maintain the program. Facebook allows group members to post alerts and warnings that
will be sent out as notifications to other members. Elected coordinators will have several
duties to keep the program going, such as:




Remind members to maintain vigilance and encourage them to report crime
Receive and pass on alerts reported by other Neighborhood Watch groups from
the surrounding community
Welcome new residents and encourage them to participate in the program
Distribute Neighborhood Watch signs and stickers
Benefits
Starting a Neighborhood Watch program in the communities around campus will reduce
crime by encouraging students to look out for one another. It will also make them aware
of any suspicious behavior by individuals at night and increase awareness of possibly
dangerous situations. Community vigilance will discourage potential attackers from
committing crimes in these neighborhoods. This will reduce crime rates around campus
and give student residents a sense of security.
COST ANALYSIS
Golf Cart Shuttles
The total cost for the golf cart shuttle program is $39,370.
Each golf cart shuttle costs $4,900 and has a useful life of four years. We plan to initially buy
eight shuttles. Four will operate nightly and four will be in reserve in case a shuttle needs to be
repaired or high usage creates demand for more shuttles to run. The total cost of all eight shuttles
is $39,200. They will run on electricity and can be plugged into any regular electrical outlet, and
that cost will be included in University of Oregon utilities.
The shuttle drivers will be volunteers from the Safe Ride program and will not incur any
financial cost to hire or train. The total time cost for drivers will be six hours a night for a total of
42 hours per week since the shuttles will run from 7:00pm to 1:00am nightly. Each shuttle
station will be marked by a sign that costs $42.50 to make. Four station signs will cost $170.
Awareness Signs
The total cost of the awareness signs is $1,692.
The signs will be made from aluminum, similar to traffic signs. The cost of creating each sign is
$42.50. For every sign we will also need to buy a stand which cost $28 each. Altogether we will
post 24 signs and they will not require any additional financial maintenance.
Neighborhood Watch
The Neighborhood Watch program will not require any funding because there are no employees
to hire and no assets to purchase. However, it will cost the volunteer coordinators some time to
manage the community Facebook pages and distribute neighborhood watch signs.
RISK ANALYSIS
Risk of the Shuttle Service
Creating the shuttle service is relatively low-risk. The carts, or shuttles, will not require gas but
will need to be fully charged for each night. This requires an efficient management system and a
facility for the carts. Other factors to consider include:
 Costs for charging and maintaining the shuttles
 Rules and traffic regulations for cart drivers to follow
 Volunteers to operate or drive the shuttles
The shuttle drivers will need training to navigate the UO campus safely and deal with possible
emergencies. We must also consider safety precautions to prevent any possible attackers from
taking advantage of the shuttle service (such as by impersonating a student).
Risk of Safety Signs
The biggest risk with the safety awareness signs is that students simply might not read them.
There is also the risk that someone might vandalize the signs or take them down. The signs will
be posted in areas where assault is frequent, as well as around the edges of campus for students
to see when they walk in. When it’s dark and these areas of campus are not well-lit, the signs
may not be effective because they will be difficult to read.
Risk of Student led Neighborhood Watch
Potential risks of an off-campus Neighborhood Watch include student turnover in the
neighborhoods and therefore the continuation of the program. It could be difficult to initially get
students involved in the Neighborhood Watch. Also, the area between the UO campus and the
neighborhoods could become more dangerous because the Neighborhood Watch program may
drive crime out to these areas. However, creating more actively safe behavior around campus
will reduce crime in the community.
TECHNICAL PLAN
Spring 2013
 Survey areas of campus for effective sign placement
 Design and present awareness sign mock-ups for approval by the ASUO and UOPD
 Test-drive potential shuttle routes with existing campus vehicles
 Design shuttle station signs
 Develop content for Neighborhood Watch program pamphlets and submit for ASUO and
UOPD approval
 Distribute pamphlets to residents in neighborhoods surrounding campus
Summer 2013
 Purchase approved safety awareness and shuttle station signs
 Set up safety awareness signs around campus
 Establish location for cart storage and maintenance
 Promote volunteer positions for shuttle drivers and certification
 Purchase shuttle carts
 Test-drive shuttles around campus on pre-tested routes
 Begin marketing shuttle services through available UO media
 Begin setting up Neighborhood Watch groups as students move back to Eugene
Fall 2013
 Check signs for damage or defacement and replace/repair as needed
 Start shuttle services nightly
 Compare summer term crime statistics after introducing safety awareness signs
 Distribute more Neighborhood Watch program pamphlets to student residents in
neighborhoods around the UO campus
CONCLUSION
Crime rates and incidents of assault have increased on the University of Oregon campus over the
past few years and continue to rise. By creating a shuttle system, we will increase the amount of
safe activity on campus at night which will discourage assailants from attacking students. Signs
that promote awareness about unsafe areas of campus and encourage students not to walk alone
will make students more proactive about their safety. A Neighborhood Watch program in the
neighborhoods near campus will create a safer, more active community in the surrounding area.
Together, all of these new systems will reduce crime rates and incidents of assault against
students. We hope to gain your support for funding these projects that will help us look out for
the wellbeing of our students. We will contact you next week to follow up on this. Thank you for
taking the time to look over our proposal. We greatly appreciate your consideration.
Appendix A: Crime Breakdown Last Year
Crime Breakdown
17%
Burglary
7%
Aggravated
Assault
Sex Offenses
76%
Appendix B: Different Crimes Over the Last Three Years on the UO Campus
Offense Category
2009
2010
2011
Murder/ manslaughter
Negligent Manslaughter
Forcible Sex Offenses
Non-Forcible Sex
Offenses
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
Burglary
Motor Vehicle Theft
Arson
Liquor Law Arrests
Drug Law Arrests
Weapons Arrests
0
0
6
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
8
0
1
0
25
10
5
192
89
0
1
2
14
2
18
244
128
2
0
3
35
3
0
227
213
8
Appendix C: Golf Cart Shuttle Appearance
Appendix D: Sign Content and Explanations
Be Safe!
Signs that give the viewer a recommendation for increasing their
safety while navigating campus.
Walk in groups at night
Avoid strangers
Report suspicious activity
Notice!
Notice signs will give the viewer insight on the area that they are
about to enter and how they should proceed.
Assaults have been reported in this area at night
Proceed cautiously at night
Police patrol infrequently
Directional
These signs will show students alternate paths that they can use to
keep them on main walkways as well as displaying the directions of
nearest safety resources.
Nearest “blue light” post
Main path ahead
Nearest safe area
UOPD station
Appendix E: Location of Shuttle Stations
Appendix F: Placement of Safety Awareness Signs
Appendix G: Figures from UOPD Emergency Phone Dispatch System (2010, 2011, 2012)
The stats below are not just for the yellow emergency phones/towers, but also for elevator
emergency phones. The two are coded as a single entry in our dispatch system, because they are
all "emergency phones."
01-01-2010 through 12-31-2010 -- 224 total activations
All false or accidental, except for 11 elevator entrapments, 1 info request (lost person) and 1
request for DDS shuttle
01-01-2011 through 12-31-2011 -- 272 total activations
All false or accidental, except for 13 elevator entrapments
01-01-2012 through 10-18-2012 (partial year) -- 190 total activations. All false or accidental,
except for 7 elevator entrapments and 1 related to a crime report