Eryn Lee: Safety is a major component of living on a college campus. But do students here at Mercer feel safe? I spoke with Mercer Student Tiffany Alexander about her thoughts about safety on Mercer’s campus.

Tiffani Alexander: I do typically feel safe on campus, I live off campus though, behind the law school. That’s where things can get a little sketchy. Um, I think we could do more so in the context of having actual gates and stuff to keep out people off-campus who don’t actually go here. But MerPo does an amazing job of patrolling and making sure people feel safe and have access to them.

Eryn Lee: Tiffani also noted that she feels her gender plays a role in how safe she feels on campus.

Tiffani Alexander: Absolutely. I try not to be on campus too late because I do have to walk to parking lots to go home, so I try not to leave too late or when I do leave late I’m definitely on the phone with someone. People see me because I’m a woman and see that I’m more vulnerable.

I think a lot of times men don’t understand the context of why women feel unsafe, especially in certain situations.

Eryn Lee: I also spoke briefly with junior Hannah Warren about her thoughts about feeling safe on campus.

Hannah Warren: I feel really safe in the daytime, since there’s people around. But when it gets darker outside, especially since I commute, and the parking lots aren’t very well lit, I feel concerned. But I feel safer in parking lots than in other places that aren’t well-lit, like the Quad.

Eryn Lee: Hannah also said that she feels that having more lights around campus and more officers on patrol would help students feel safer.

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