'Bubble' provides false sense of security
Students feeling too safe on campus; increasing crime
demands more attention from the university Brittany Smith/ Managing
Editor
Freshman Samantha Miller returned to her dorm on Sept. 2
after dinner to discover that someone had rifled through her
purse and her camera was missing.
Lucky for Miller, she called Campus Security and they
arrested the suspect, who was still lingering on campus
looking for other unlocked doors around Story Center.
“You don’t think about it,” she said.
“You don’t think it’s going to happen to
you, just random other people.”
Miller is not alone. Since classes started at the end of
August, three breaking and entering cases were reported to
Campus Security, one assault in a parking lot was reported to
the Town Police, one assault on the tram path, one assault in
Harper Center parking lot and an attempted robbery were
reported to campus administration.
Elon’s bubble atmosphere is misleading. Students think
they can leave their doors unlocked and walk alone at night
without anything happening to them. The sense of community
tends to outweigh common sense.
Unfortunately, it takes an incident like Miller’s to
make students understand that Elon is not always as safe as
it appears.
“I’m definitely more careful now,” Miller
said. “My suitemates and I don’t prop our door
anymore and we make sure our doors are locked when we
leave.”
Not only should students look out for the safety of their
property, but also their own personal safety as well. With
three assaults already reported, Lt. Vickie Moehlman of
Campus Safety and Police recommends that students not walk
alone.
“There’s no reason for anyone to walk alone at
night,” Moehlman said. “Even if you are stumbling
home, don’t be afraid to call for an escort because you
think you’ll get written up. I wouldn’t do it and
I’ve never seen it done because we’d rather see
you get home safely than something happen to
you.”
If students need a ride home or an escort back to their dorm
they can call Campus Security at x5555, Safe Rides at x7250
or they can check the E-Rides and shuttle schedules before
they go out.
Campus Safety and Police are also working on installing
lights and cameras on the tram path for added safety.
Students should be wary of more than just the tram path at
night. They should always be on the look out wherever they
are.
“There’s safety in numbers,” Lt. Moehlman
said. “Get a friend and always keep your wits about
you.”
Moehlman also suggests that if students see suspicious
activity or are in an actual emergency, they should
immediately call 911 instead of x5555.
“If you need something right now, like an ambulance,
police or fire department, dial 911. Campus Security is
really only for escorts, maintenance or a lock out,”
she said.
Reporting a suspicious incident to the Town Police
Department not only gives the police more opportunities to
protect the public by tracking down the suspect but it also
fulfills the good citizen obligation.
“Imagine that your daughter is assaulted by a guy that
assaulted another girl the night before and she didn’t
report it,” Lt. Moehlman said. “It’s our
obligation to other people, as good citizens, to report
things so it won’t happen again.”
The sense of community that Elon creates through its
“bubble” often gives students a misleading sense
of security.
“I definitely feel pretty safe,” freshman Ghenet
Pinderhuges said. “I’m from a big city and I feel
like Elon is always telling us to be aware and to behave
appropriately.”
Small town life may seem safer than living in a larger
metropolitan area, but living in the Elon bubble is only as
safe as residents make it. There is no plan to gate in or put
up walls around campus to keep the university a closed
community. With the campus open to the public, students
should realize that they have to exercise a bit of personal
responsibility to protect themselves.
While crime may not disappear, it is possible to decrease
the incidents on campus. Exercising caution is the easiest
way to keep the campus safe. A little common sense goes a
long way.
Contact Brittany Smith at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247. | 
