The case of the pornographic etchings may finally be solved. This week, Public Safety apprehended a man it said was in his 60s who was caught carving a vulgar image into the wall of a Mary Graydon Center elevator. The man was caught only because of the surveillance cameras in the MGC elevators. If more places on campus had such cameras, perhaps more crimes could be prevented.
Though Public Safety cannot tie this perpetrator to the other etchings across campus because there was no surveilance at those places, all of the actual carvings are very similar to the one in the elevator. He has been banned from campus and will be arrested if he returns.
Public Safety Director Michael McNair has announced that he wants to increase campus surveillance by placing digital video recorders in danger spots on campus, such as the amphitheatre. Safety should always be the first priority, and considering the cost-effectiveness of video recorders compared with increased Public Safety manpower, it is an excellent idea to implement the cameras. In fact, one wonders why no one thought of this idea in 2003 when female students were being groped across campus.
Video recorders are not a catch-all miracle solution to campus safety, though. A higher level of vigilance is required on the part of students, staff and Public Safety. It was reported that upon seeing a picture of the man caught in the MGC elevator, several Bender Library employees said they recognized him from having visited the library numerous times. The man even said he'd slept in the library. When you see something as strange as a senior citizen sleeping in the library, you should take the initiative of reporting it. Don't ignore suspicious activity just because the person isn't bothering you directly.
In addition to the amphitheatre, video recorders should also be installed in the Sports Center parking garage and the Nebraska Parking Lot. Both can be very dark and make students feel uneasy. Placing cameras around campus would likely make students feel safer and cut down on car thefts as well.
