Tyler Junior College Campus Safety Officers and Residential Life and Housing have teamed up to provide students with safe environments and living conditions.
In January, Campus Safety reinstalled the Adopt-A-Dorm program for the second time. The program was originally created a few years ago, but dissolved when changes were made to Residential Life and Housing.
With this program, each officer or guard “adopts” a specific dorm that they will visit regularly and do routine checks throughout the semester.
“This really helps us get to know the students,” Campus Safety Officer Peggy Scott said.
Not only does this provide safety and protection for the students, it enables relationships and opens up lines of communication.
“It has made Campus Safety officers more opportunities to meet residents and answer residents’ questions,” Jade Gomez, assistant director of Residential Life and Housing, said. “Communication between housing staff and Campus Safety officers has improved.”
Formal meetings are held monthly, and campus safety and housing staff talk about issues and incidents that are happening in the residential halls.
Also, campus safety contacts the residential directors at least once a week on their assigned hall.
“I think the program helps the residents meet the campus safety officers. By meeting these officers, residents are able to ask them questions and be comfortable to approach the officers with issues and/or concerns,” Gomez said.
Some areas that have been brought to the attention of campus safety have included locks on students’ doors and specific lighting in the parking lots.
Students are also allowed to log their computers and electronics in case their property is stolen. The log includes the serial number, make and model, color and any other piece of information that could be used if the property were to be stolen from the student.
