Dean of Students Lori Berquam urged UW-Madison students via e-mail Monday to take simple safety precautions this semester, in light of UW-Whitewater student Kelly Nolan, who was murdered in June after a night at Madison bars.
It is a tragedy that remains unsolved,"" Berquam's e-mail said. ""To avoid another tragedy, I urge you to pay close attention to your own personal safety and look out for your friends and roommates, especially if you are downtown late at night.""
Berquam told The Daily Cardinal she wants both genders to be aware of potential harm.
""There's a lot of new students and this is kind of a new environment,"" she said.
""People take risks maybe that they wouldn't take in a big city like Chicago or New York City but they take here because they're lulled into thinking that this is kind of like their hometown.""
""I think one of the best things about being a student at Wisconsin is that you have a lot of pride in the school,"" Berquam said. ""I want our students to take the same pride in each other.""
Berquam said she has also sent an e-mail to all faculty and staff, asking100-level course instructors to take time to read her message to their classes. She said her office is using Facebook and working with Associated Students of Madison's campus neighborhood watch program to relay the message.
Kelly Arendt, UW-Madison junior and ASM campus safety chair, said after receiving positive student feedback from last year's pilot program, it plans to expand to six different neighborhoods this fall.
""We're going to try to encompass more
off campus areas this year,"" she said.
""We just want to create a sense of community, so people know each other when they're walking down the street,"" Arendt said. ""That's the ultimate goal of the program.""
Arendt said she is part of a group that is working with Berquam to improve campus safety.
UW Police Department Sgt. Michael Newton encouraged students to walk in groups, keep a cell phone with them and be aware of their surroundings.
""We encourage students to use SAFEwalk and SAFEride - great programs on campus that were really utilized a lot last year after some of the safety concerns were brought forward,"" Newton said.
Compared to last year at this time, he said this academic year is going strong in terms of safety.
""We're starting off on a pretty safe track,"" Newton said. ""That's partially because students are I think paying attention to their surroundings and making sure they're walking with people and doing the right thing.
