Safety Day will be held Thursday April 8 in the Quad from 2:30-6 p.m. Kelly Mathiesen, Safety Committee chair, is excited to promote this event. “We are holding interactive events such as drunk goggle obstacle courses and condom races to get the students involved,” Mathiesen said.

In addition to these interactive events, other organizations will be promoting awareness with prizes and giveaways that remind students to be safe on campus.

Mathiesen said, “Students should come to this event because it’s a great opportunity to interact with different organizations while learning about safety.”

The Safety Committee works around the year to promote safety awareness. “The committee does this by addressing the concerns of students,” Mathiesen said. The committee also “works closely with the MUPD and Millersville Fire Department,” she said.

Mathiesen and the entire Safety Committee invites all students to come out and be informed about how to be safe on campus. More information can be found on the Facebook page for this event.

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On March 31 MUPD received a call that Walsh was seen on campus but officers were unable to locate him. Walsh returned to campus on April 1 and was arrested with two misdemeanor counts of trespassing and stalking. Charges were filed before District Justice Leo Eckert.

When he was arrested on Jan. 7, Walsh was charged with terroristic threats, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and two counts of criminal mischief after damaging a professor’s desk with a knife and a University police holding cell.

He was not enrolled in winter classes at the time of the incident, but he was a current Millersville University student.

“Apparently the fact that we don’t want him here doesn’t mean much to Randall,” Silcox said. Walsh won’t be returning to campus anytime soon. He is being held in Lancaster County Prison under $1,000,000 bail for violation of his trespass order. According to Silcox, he will most likely receive a bail deduction at a later date.

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Jerry Broneic, interfraternity council president and secretary chair in Lambda Chi Alpha, has been involved with this issue and has personally talked with the Student Affairs Office to resolve the issue.

According to Senior Broneic, some time ago unidentified individuals used the basement of the Armstrong House inappropriately, leaving behind ash (from either a fire or a grill) and used cans. The incident started an investigation by the University.

Prior to the incident, the zoning laws were either neglected, unknown or not enforced.

After the investigation, there were limits placed on the use of the Armstrong House in accordance with the zoning laws—laws which limit the number of individuals allowed per floor to seven—rendering it useless to Greeks.

“We, [the Student Affairs Office and I], talked about a couple of possibilities such as rezoning or possibly moving to another house,” Broneic stated.  “But no such decisions have been made and we are still trying to work out a solution.”

“Because of age and deterioration of the house,” began sophomore Stefanie Kulczyckyj, the president of panhellenic council. “Only seven people are allowed to be in the Greek House at any one time. This is not beneficial to the Greek community because we are not able to have any type of meeting where more than seven people are expected to attend.

The Armstrong House is being repaired after it was misused by unidentified individuals. Photo by Carla Anderson.

“Currently, the issue of the Greek House has been looked upon after the Greek community wrote letters, and hopefully in the near future we will have an official Greek House again,” said Kulczyckyj.

The Greeks have sent letters to Dr. Aminta Hawkins Breaux, vice president for student affairs, asking her to help find a solution to the current situation with the Armstrong House, reported Dwight Horsey, interim Assistant to the vice president for student affairs.

Angela Simmons, director of student programs and Marsha McQuate, assistant director of student programs, have been involved with investigating the issue and have reported to Horsey that, upon Weidinger’s inspection, the house was found to not be zoned for large gatherings.

His report stated that “the reality is, these old houses were never designed or intended to be used for large public gatherings. Those types of events should have been held in…buildings which have the space, life safety and fire safety systems, the proper means of egress for large crowds, and the structural integrity to handle large crowds.”

With five fraternities and six sororities on campus, a designated “Greek house,” which is currently located in the Armstrong House on Frederick Street, seems a necessity.

However, MU’s houses are zoned for a maximum seven individuals per floor, and having Halloween parties and “large gatherings”—which could be anything from mundane meeting to a study group—are not just ordinance issues but are also “life safety issue,” according to Weidinger’s report.

“I have spoken to some members of the Greek organizations and am working with Marsha and Angela to find some other suitable location for them to use,” said Horsey. “That’s where we are with things.”

The Armstrong House will continue to be the Greek House.

The Student Affairs Office has not mentioned when, if or where the move would occur.

Kulczyckyj feels that it is only fair, in light of the community service that both the IFC and PHC provide, that the University provides a Greek house; or allow the Greeks to, possibly through Habitat for Humanity, build their own dwelling place.

“Even though the Greek community is only 2 percent of Millersville University’s campus community, we are always helping out and giving back to Millersville and the Lancaster community,” said Kulczyckyj.

“It gives me pride to know that my chapter and all the sororities and fraternities on campus are reaching out and giving back, and helping whenever and wherever they can.”

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Operation ID is MUPD’s new initiative to help keep valuable possessions safe.

The service is free of charge to students and will be offered twice annually, upon return from summer and winter breaks.

Students interested can pick up an item log at the police station and record descriptions and serial numbers of valuable items. Once lost or stolen and in possession of MUPD, the station can run the serial number in an online database and identify the proper owner.

The station also offers free engraving for objects that lack an identification number.

Officer James Miller talks to freshmen in Harbold Hall about engraving valuables. Photo by Carla Anderson.

Many vulnerable students leave valuables in plain view in cars and dorm rooms and are the victims of theft. Operation ID is a tool to combat thieves.

The program was not prompted by any particular instance of vandalism or theft, although Officer James Miller reported that the police station often gets lost property and struggles to identify the rightful owner.

“It’s proactive education on the safeguard of own property” said Miller, who is one of the 14 police officers at Millersville.

The MUPD can be a very intimidating and daunting force on campus, but Officer Miller stressed that although they may be authoritative, they also offer a myriad of other helpful services.  Services include: escort service, free talks for any problem, a self-defense class called Rape Aggression Defense, or R.A.D. and a number of other free services meant to improve life on campus.

Operation ID will make recovery of stolen items more realistic, and greatly improves personal security.

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Individuals transporting themselves across a frozen pond in Southern Pennsylvania make as much sense as deer looking both ways before crossing the street.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me introduce some facts: The Midwest Lakes Policy Center says in North America, 4-5 individuals die falling through ice every year. Ice also needs to be four inches thick to support a human.

The chance of ice crumbling and you drowning to your death is just as likely as timely warnings getting out to everyone.

Seriously though, what compels someone to believe that the pond is frozen over enough to casually walk across it? I cannot decide if it invokes a rush for some, or just a dare with horrible outcome potential.

Remember, we are in Lancaster County, not the Arctic Circle. Our weather seems to be as stable as Wall Street. Let us take this week’s past temperatures for example.

From Monday to Wednesday, the average high temperature was 28 degrees. On Thursday, the temperature shot up to 43 degrees and Friday up to 52 degrees.

Remember, 32 degrees is the freezing point of water. Statistically, this week would not be the smartest to cross a frozen pond. Is your trust still in the ice?

I know I might be coming off as a bit cynical here, but come on people, we’re receiving a college education for a reason.

We are a bit smarter than Joe the Paver. Though it may look exhilarating and fun to walk on, the ice is not as stable as you may think.

Please, use common sense from now on and stay on the path made of concrete.

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A university lockdown can vary depending on the situation, but what goes on outside the doors has been a mystery in the minds of many students at Millersville University.

In situations similar to the McComsey hall preventative lockdown that took place over winter break, occupants are told to evacuate the building and individuals are not permitted to enter until the suspect’s location is verified.

According to Aminta Hawkins Breaux, VP of student affairs, students and faculty are encouraged to keep their cell phones on vibrate during class in case a text alert is sent.

Students who are outside during a lockdown should find shelter in the closest building, before the doors are locked electronically or by department chairs, keeping anyone from entering.

“We can’t keep anyone from leaving a building and placing themselves in danger during a lockdown,” said Chief Wayne Silcox of MUPD. “If anyone leaves we just ask that they shut the door behind them.”?Breaux would encourage students and faculty in a lockdown to barricade the door and wait for an all clear through text messaging and email.

Security sirens that have been installed have audio voice and can be heard across campus with updates.

“One of my biggest concerns is that not all faculty or staff are on MU alert for text or email,” Breaux said. “It’s a very simple thing to sign up for and makes all the difference in that kind of situation.”

According to Breaux, faculty and staff have to do their part in making sure campus is a safer place, not only for students to attend class, but for professors to educate.

While two officers from MUPD patrol campus, additional help is available from Millersville Borough and Lancaster City police.

“We have an excellent working relationship with the borough, and the city responds within three to five minutes of a call,” Silcox said.

The University is currently working on establishing a reverse 911 system where phones would ring in the classroom, alerting anyone inside of a dangerous situation.

A roam secure alert system is also being organized by MUPD, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, and IT services to make sure all emails, website updates and text messages are sent simultaneously.

Rally points are being considered for those outside during a lockdown, although Silcox is concerned about those locations becoming targets.

Safety Tips from MUPD

• Don’t take short cuts through dark areas.
• If you lose a key, report it immediately.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Walk with friends whenever possible.
• Keep the MUPD phone number in your cell phone for emergencies.
• Contact MUPD escort service if walking across campus at night.

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Walsh went to visit a philosophy professor on Jan. 7 at his office in McComsey Hall during winter class sessions.

He was not enrolled in winter courses, although he did take classes in fall 2008 and was registered for spring 2009.

According to charging documents, Walsh was ordered to Lancaster County Prison with bail set at $50,000.

Five charges, including terroristic threats, simple assault, disorderly conduct, all misdemeanor charges, and two counts of criminal mischief after damaging the professor’s desk with a knife and a University police holding cell.

A trespass notice was posted on Jan. 12 and students are urged to contact MUPD if they see Walsh on campus.

According to Janet Kacskos, University spokeswoman, conditions on whether or not Walsh could return to campus are unknown pending the judicial hearing.

Walsh would have to reapply and show that he has met University requirements.

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The campus lockdown on April 1 is still fresh in the minds of many on MU’s campus, which brings no surprise to the numerous changes made for this school year.

Janet Kaskos, director of Communications, knows better than anyone the potential problems when a crisis occurs and the community is not ready with an adequate response.

“We made changes to our internal communications system after the basketball riot two years ago. I felt on April 1 those changes were implemented and effective,” said Kaskos.

As the campus implements three new security programs this fall, Kaskos assures the improvements are for the better.

The systems being referred to, are the siren alert system, electronic control and TAT@MU; all of which were effective as of September 2008.

The alert system means the addition of several call boxes around MU’s campus, which may be pushed to contact police in the case of an emergency. Previously, there were three of these boxes on campus; more were added so that, hopefully, wherever a person is on campus, they are in view of a call box.

A speaker alert system has been installed on various buildings around the campus to assure that students outside are able to quickly and effectively be alerted to danger.

Due to the difficulty connecting online and making cell phone calls on April 1, Verizon Wireless has erected two more towers in Millersville for faster, more accommodating service, and the university will implement an internet function which allows a master button to shut down web access and display only important messages during times of crisis.

Emergency towers are just one of the many additions made to make MU a safer campus. Photo by Christian Shuts.

The Threat Assessment Team, TAT, is a group of MU staff members that represent various departments on campus, such as the director of safety and environmental health and the chief of university police.

Their job is to quickly “assist in addressing threatening behaviors that potentially impede their own or others’ ability to function successfully or safely.” TAT is asking students to report any threatening or stressful situation they encounter from the campus community to them directly.

The MU community is asked to carry credit-card size handouts in their wallet for easy reference in case of an emergency. It is also recommended that students save the emergency phone number, 717-871-3911, in their cell phone contact list.

“If students don’t use these resources…then what? It is vital that we are schooled and  re-schooled in using these practices,” says Geiger, who is taking all of these changes with a  grain of salt. Geiger, like many, understand the difficulty in asking a college community to carry around a folded paper on campus safety.

“[TAT] is not limited to physical threats,” says Kaskos. “If students are being bullied or objectified, stalked or bothered, we want to know about it.”

In this context, it seems TAT serves as “telling the teacher” of the college world.

While being cautious and intervening is justified, students are not looking to be babysat.

“I think students need to learn to deal with their own problems. We are here to learn and prepare for the real world. In the real world you don’t get to call TAT when you’re being bullied in your English class,” said senior Sean Betesh.

It seems that while these programs are all productive in theory, it is those that do not require output by the campus community that will be most successful.

“If I’m walking down the street and [the building] screams at me to go inside, I’ll listen,” said Betesh. “But good luck getting me to carry around [an info packet] on it. I just don’t see that being a convenient thing to lug around.”

TAT sent out a campus email detailing the new security systems and procedures on campus; however, very few students took the time to read the email. Many are tired of hearing about threats and safety on campus.

“I literally got locked in the library the other day,” said senior Derek Wilsey. “Maybe we should focus on campus employees paying more attention to their job and how many people are signed up for alert/text messages.”

It seems, for now at least, students are not giving their safety on campus daily thought. This hopefully means the efforts by the university are working effectively.

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The SMC renovation, the recent MU Alert last weekend, and how to register for classes next semester.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Senate, as part of their agenda, invited different groups around the university to talk about certain issues on campus.

The Registrar’s office was invited to speak and address questions that were put together by the students about registering for classes and the common questions that are associated with that process.

The questions ranged from the system that is used in registering for classes, early preference for classes, and also how a withdraw from a class looks on a transcript.

Candy Dean, representative from the Registrars office, first addressed the system that is used and how the wait list for classes could be greatly diminished.

“This is one of the biggest changes to the systems that we’re making,” said Dean. “We developed our own system and we’re trying to make the updates more appealing to students.”

Dean also went on to say that many times students decide at the last minute they do not want to take a certain class, the new system will make it easier to drop that class and possibly find a new class, with a diminished wait list.

Another issue that the Senate dealt with was the early preference that some student groups have in registering for classes.

Traditionally, the class preferences were reserved for students with learning and physical disabilities, which then expanded into the athletes and honor’s college students, because they would have to schedule classes around practices.

There are certain classes that the honor’s college students need over other students.
The question was why can’t all of the student organizations have preference, and the answer is that if all the student groups asked for preference.

The system would be backed up and it would take away from the purpose of early preference.

One of the last things that the Senate addressed was a withdrawal from class.

A lot of students are concerned with how a “W” on the transcript looks. Dean assured students that it really did not matter to future employers.

They also addressed that it is not a good idea to just drop a class; that is why students have an advisor.

They want to make sure that there is not a misunderstanding in the class and they do not want students to simply walk away from a class.

One of the main issues that the meeting focused on was the plans for the SMC renovation, which was lead by Dr. Aminta Hawkins-Breaux, vice president of Student Affairs.

It is up to the Student Senate to determine what is going to happen with the extra space for student organizations.

They have to determine how the organizations are going to be separated and also how they are going to get allocation for this project.

The first thing that Breaux addressed was parking.

The SMC is going to accommodate more parking for the new Sports Education Facility. This is going to be an extension of the SMC that should be completed in the year 2010.

The other issue that Breaux addressed is where they are going to put all the student organizations during the renovation. “Every week things change,” Breaux said. “We’re still trying to figure out where everyone is going to go. Nothing is set in stone.”

The plan, so far, is to keep the number of meeting rooms in the SMC, but to expand them; however, most of the meeting rooms are going to be on the first floor.

“This is turning out to be better then when we started”, said Breaux, “It’s going to give students easier access to the meeting rooms.”

In addition to the meeting rooms, Breaux wants to see the renovated SMC as “more of a destination place” for students.

This whole project is about making the SMC a “hub of activity,” as Breaux put it; a place to eat, relax, and have meetings.

In the new project, it was also said that, for the commuter students, they are going to be putting lockers in the basement.

“This is so the students do not have to be living out of their trunks,” said Breaux.
The decision to renovate the SMC was voted last year by the students for more campus recreation.

There are over 3,000 students that are part of intramurals and the University also hosts over 120 camps during the summer.

Another renovation that Breaux said the University was looking into, was a new performing arts center, where they can hold concerts larger than the ones already held in Lyte Auditorium and Pucillo Gymnasium.

The smaller performances could be held in the renovated SMC, as well.
The new performing arts center is still being discussed and would most like focus on the academics.

The building of these new projects would present MU with new opportunities and bring more excitement to the university.

Lastly, the Senate talked about the MU Alert that was issued last weekend.

The issue was reported by a faculty member who, from the third floor of Stayer, believed that he saw an individual carrying a rifle.

After the report the students who are registered for the MU Alert received the text messages telling them to take caution when going outside, since the incident was still under investigation.

Students can register to receive the text messages by going to their MyVille accounts and filling out the necessary information.

The University was not put on lockdown for several reasons.

One of them, Breaux pointed out, was that they did not want to make any assumptions without getting the right information. She believed it would look like the University was “crying-wolf.”

The process of a lock-down would shut the entire University down and they did not want to take that chance before getting all the information that they could.

It turns out that even though the faculty member did see the rifle, it was a prop for an elementary education class; the professor of that class was notified and confirmed that the rifle was merely used for an in-class assignment.

[Web Ed. Note: For more information about the SMC renovation, and to see artist renderings, see smcrenovation.com]

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The grant, which will be awarded to the University by the end of February, was presented to the school by the Department of Homeland Security.

All improvements and updates to their security system will include proper training for MUPD.

One of the improvements being funded by the grant is the detective system, which is a software designed to manage, process and analyze multi-media evidence.

The purpose “allows us to improve digital video images, etc. that previously would have been unusable,” says MU Chief of Police Wayne W. Silcox.

In addition to that, other new installments have been called such as the new speakers for sirens around campus,

The University has been concentrating on putting in what is called a reverse 911 system.
This system would be installed in all classrooms as a way to send out alerts.

It is a way to signal students and faculty about important messages, and can be heard both in the building as well as outside.

The alerts can be used for several different reasons including extreme weather, safety procedures or crime related information.

Messages to other phones can be heard and received even if they are not picked up.

This is part of the digital campus system, which is in relation to some of the security technology already being utilized on campus.

Currently, there are emergency call boxes placed among many locations around campus, including McComsey, Creek Dr, and Prince St, parking lots.

MUPD is also looking into putting more of these throughout the campus.

If in danger, or an emergency situation, an individual can press the button on the call box, in which case the Telecommunications center is dispatched immediately, and reaches the MUPD who arrive at that location.

Another feature added last year is the eCampus system, called MU Alert by the University.

The alert system allows the University to inform students and faculty who have enrolled in the service to be notified about emergencies and weather relating to class delays or cancellations.

Students must sign up each year to stay in the system since it is updated yearly, purging those who may not need it any more such as alumni or retired employees. Students can also find signs hung in different building around campus, including the SMC, about security alerts such as evacuations and lockdowns.

These are used to provide students with information they need to stay safe on campus.
“There are three different kinds of lockdowns: preventative, emergency and shelter. We will be having drills later in the semester, one in an academic building, residence building, and administrative building,” says Chief Wilcox.

As security continues to strengthen, instructions and training on all safety procedures will be implemented for the police department as well as students to ensure that the University remains a safe community.

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