The men of Delta Tau Delta aren’t just members of a fraternity, they also recently became a branch of campus security.
In response to the recent threats to safety on campus, the Delts are stepping to provide an escort service for students walking on campus at late hours.
“People know us, they know the fraternity and they know we are good guys,” said sophomore accounting major Jacob Karpowicz. “If people don’t feel comfortable calling police escorts, then we are here as another alternative.”
From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Thursday members of the fraternity will provide students with a walking escort from the Cullom-Davis Library, the Markin Family Student Recreation Center or from any classrooms on campus.
During their escorting hours, Delt members can be found on the first floor of the library. To set themselves apart from others in the library, the escorts will be wearing the fraternity’s block letters.
“We will be wearing block letters to serve as our uniform, as a form of identification, not to promote our fraternity.” Karpowicz said. “That way students will know who the escorts are, and no one can pose as an escort.”
Jerry Ourada, a senior music education major was the first to come up with the idea of Delt escorts. He was concerned about the crimes that had occurred on campus and wanted to get the house involved in a solution, Karpowicz said.
President of the Delts Matthew Stein said the service so far has been successful. In their first two nights, escorts walked home more than 20 students and that was before the fraternity even announced their service to the majority of campus, he said.
“The first week was a test week,” he said “It went great and was successful.”
To get the word out, sororities have been notified of this escort service and the Delts plan to reach out to residence halls by advertising and sending e-mails to Resident Advisers, Stein said.
“I think it’s great that we’re trying to keep everyone safe,” said freshman mechanical engineering major Jeff Smith. “It’s not good that people are afraid to walk five minutes back to their dorms, I’m glad we have an opportunity to step in and help.”
Freshman public relations major Rebecca Nunes said she heard about the Delts’ escort service the week they started. She said she was not hesitant to approach them for an escort.
“The guys were really cool and it wasn’t awkward at all to go up to them and have them walk me home,” she said. “After being at the library for so long it was nice not to worry about my walk back.”
The Delts plan to continue the escort service for as long as they are needed, Stein said.
“As long as there is a demand and we are wanted, we will be here,” he said.
