Students met with Madison officials Wednesday to discuss the city budget and areas where students would like to see greater investment, such as improving safety on campus.
In light of recent late-night muggings on campus, some students said the city should focus more on campus safety, especially on the streets late at night.
Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Chair Hannah Somers said students should be able to feel secure walking home at night, but currently many do not.
In late March, robbers targeted pedestrians on campus in five separate instances on the same evening. Around a handful of other attacks have been reported on campus within the past year.
“The fact that students don’t feel safe going home after studying at night is a big problem,” Somers said. “It’s important that we feel safe in our neighborhoods and going home.”
City official Guy Van Rensselaer said students should look into where they think safety could be improved.
“We know it’s out there, but when it’s prompted by a citizen, we have some leverage,” Van Rensselaer said.
Some students said while they were not sure exactly how to make campus feel safer, better lighting at night and an increased police presence could help.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said much of the city’s tax revenue comes from students, so it is important students communicate with officials where they would like to see the money go.
“This really dictates who we shape our budget,” Resnick said. “Particularly on the margins when we’re trying to make difficult decisions, these kind of conversations come up.”
