Safety Support from Gov. DeWine | Graphic by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
On Nov. 21, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced safety support for colleges and universities throughout the state. Wright State Public Safety plans to use this funding for cameras, among other possible security devices.
DeWine’s support
Across the state, DeWine is granting 33 places of higher education $5 million for increased campus safety, according to a press release from the Governor’s office.
Jeff Robinson, director of communications at the Ohio Department of Higher Education, explained that the Capital Budget, HB687 of the 134th General Assembly, provided funding support for the 2022 Campus Safety Program.
Each school completed a security and vulnerability assessment to identify places where public safety officials could utilize more security devices, such as cameras, alarms or public address systems.
WSU Director of Public Safety Kurt Holden explained the process, which included analyzing security systems, such as door lock versus swipe card systems, and safety levels, including natural security inhibitors like bushes or other landscaping covering an office window. WSU public safety officials noted these areas of possible improvement to include in the application.
After three independent reviewers from the Ohio School Safety Center evaluated and scored each application, OSSC collaborated with ODHE to review and confirm that the agencies awarded the adequate amount of funds to each institution, according to Robinson.
Robinson also explained when and how each institution can acquire the awarded funds.
“ODHE transferred the funding out to all the institutions at the Nov. 21 Controlling Board meeting. The institutions have to finalize agreements with our office, and then they can go to [the] Controlling Board to release the funding when they are ready to start their projects,” Robinson said.
Safety at Wright State
The WSU Police Department crime log and fire report shows 38 listed incidents cross-campus between Oct. 2 and Nov. 14, including two instances of voyeurism in Rike Hall one report of rape in Jacob Hall, both on the Dayton campus.
Holden believes that Wright State is a safe campus, but explained a desire to make it safer through grants, donations and other resources.
The governor awarded WSU $147,930 in campus safety grants, and Holden explained the importance of DeWine’s funding for a campus like Wright State.
“It’s extremely important, especially for Wright State, because Wright State is a commuter campus, but we also have residential students, we have so many visitors that are here at Wright State,” Holden explained. “So, to make sure that Wright State continues to keep up with the times and stay safe, I think that it’s extremely important.”
Holden believes that cameras are beneficial devices that can increase security in parking lots and buildings. While Holden’s goal is to have improvements by next semester, the director assured that Public Safety will have plans at that time.
“The project [will] probably be done over the summer, and that’s only because I’ve seen so many things backordered lately that it might be difficult to get all that equipment,” Holden clarified.
Public safety offices will collaborate with other campus services, including government affairs and the facilities department, to strategize the best applications for the funds, according to Holden.
For more information about the 2022 Campus Safety Program, including a full list of campus recipients, visit the governor’s website, ODHE or OSSC.
Wright State Public Safety is located at 118 Campus Services Building. Callers can contact 937-775-2111 for emergency and non-emergency purposes and 937-775-2056 to connect with the administrative office.
