Lock Up
JAMIE EDDY |Â FEATURE EDITOR | THE USD VISTA
There has been one instance on USD’s campus where I have felt only mildly uncomfortable it involved a late night in the library and a call to public safety to give me a ride down to west lot parking structure. Otherwise, I have always felt safe, secure, and protected while on school campus.
The most recent college shooting in Oregon at Umpqua community college has involuntarily compelled me to think about on campus safety and whether I feel at ease at USD. I do not enjoy continuing to bring up such a horrific subject, however, I have a feeling I’m not the only one thinking about the potential ‘what if’.
An incident such as this, and unfortunately, many others like it, opens up controversial dialogue. Some of the unavoidable issues that have presented themselves involve gun control, psychological instability, emergency on campus safety procedures, and security.
After the shooting and in the weeks that followed, several friends of mine and peers on USD’s campus expressed sadness, concern, and pain over the shooting. However, after discussing with a number of students on campus, I heard very little about what, if any, new safety implementations or measures might be taken to ensure the safety of our student body.
There have been numerous occasions since the shooting where I’ve thought about the ‘what if’ while sitting in class. Over the last three and a half years at USD, there have only been a handful of times that professors have locked their doors, many who leave their doors completely open.
My desire and want is for professors at USD to start locking their doors while class is in session.
Locking classroom doors automatically lessens the chance of a shooter getting in, and might even potentially scare them away. It is not too much to ask and might even become a new habit used by all professors on USD campus.
This issue is directly relevant to the USD community and as a student I feel it is right to voice my opinion, especially when others have voiced similar concerns regarding college shootings.
It is crucial to speak up when situations such as this one come to our attention because whenever the lives of students are potentially jeopardized or placed in risky situations, it is crucial we address any and all concerns so that the USD community feels safe.