From a statistical perspective, UCLA is a relatively safe
campus. But even in the absence of significant crime, the
university should take a number of small steps toward improving
student safety.
Building crosswalks, installing lighting, improving trails and
offering more late-night transportation are all areas in need of
revitalization.
Traffic ““ especially in car-happy Los Angeles, where speed
limits are often treated as a joke ““ can pose a threat to
student safety. Students trekking to and from Westwood late at
night have to dodge enough cars as it is, and they could use some
help.
A crosswalk from the bottom of the so-called “rape
trail” to the other side of Gayley Avenue would make that
midnight and sometimes midday dash from the dorms to the apartments
a little less hair-raising.
Many student-pedestrians were saved a little stress on their
morning commute after a crosswalk was finally installed behind De
Neve. Discussion about a similar setup at the corner of Gayley and
Landfair avenues are at least three years old, but there has been
little word from the city or university on the situation.
Students who embark on the popular perimeter run often gamble
with their limbs on certain dark and uneven parts of the trek
““ especially on Veteran Avenue. Slight landscaping and minor
lighting additions could dramatically decrease the number of falls
and hiding spots for would-be predators.
And Westwood could always do with a few more lights, especially
on popular thoroughfares like Kelton Avenue. Granted some
homeowners don’t want flood lights in their living rooms, but
students are not a lesser part of this community. And the bottom
line is we’re college students ““ we’re up late,
we’re out late and it would be nice to see where we’re
going every once in a while.
Students have a right to feel safe at all times, whether it be
from a criminal lurking in a bush or a speeding Porsche. And
students, UCLA administrators, city council members and Westwood
homeowners should try to work together to ensure that right is
upheld.
Beyond improving the landscape, the campus should rethink and
reinvest in its evening escort and van shuttle services.
Currently, students can request an individual community safety
officer escort them on their walk or catch a ride in a CSO evening
van. But the vans run sporadically and stop at 11 p.m. Students
must also wait for escorts and are out of luck after 1 a.m.
Switching to a model similar to taxis, where students could call
and request a pickup, thereby utilizing the hundreds of electric
vehicles sitting idle around campus, would make the service far
more useful. When returning home late at night, students would gain
a degree of safety and speed.
Westwood’s relative calm can give a false guarantee of
safety in students’ minds. The university has made strides in
improving campus lighting and creating some safety programs, but
proactive steps could prevent potential tragedies.
Improving UCLA is a weekly examination of
different issues that could enhance the student experience