First, I want to say I am grateful for the undergraduate education I received while attending Bradley. However, I have a lot of issues with the way things are being done.
Throughout my four years at Bradley, we always had issues with muggings, and armed robberies, things that if you’re the victim in can be very damaging to you not only physically but mentally and emotionally.
We never hear of the perpetrators actually getting caught, so does that mean they never do, or Bradley chooses not to send something out when they are caught?
Constantly, we are told that student safety is important and the number one priority, however, what has been done to show that? Maybe I am wrong, and measures have been implemented, but as students we never heard about them.
Students hear about the university and the city receiving money to increase patrols to prevent under-age drinking. Which makes that seem like the priority for Bradley Police and Bradley administration.
I’m not going to sit here and say they shouldn’t be concerned with under-age drinking, as sometimes it gets out of hand, but is that the issue students and prospective students want to see the university trying to tackle?
Everyone loves the new police chief because they get away with more when partying and drinking, because they issue warnings now. That’s great, but shouldn’t the focus be on student safety? Three armed robberies within a week on such a small campus is unacceptable.
The university needs to make safety the priority. The armed robberies and the potential violence are going to continue until something is done about it.
Bradley needs to realize not only is this dangerous for current students, but it also can hurt the university in the future from a liability standpoint if something happens, and from an enrollment standpoint.
If a student is choosing between Bradley and a similar university, safety is going to become a deciding factor if things continue to escalate.
There may not be a simple solution to this problem, but the starting point needs to be having a significant increase in patrols at night. If that means having to hire more police, then so be it.
It’s time for Bradley to start spending money wisely, and use it towards things like the safety of the students.
Stop building unnecessary buildings like the Alumni Center when you could have used that space and money to build a new library, or to continue to renovate the issues in the dorms.
Spend money and seek out money to increase safety, not to try and prevent under-age drinking because that is an issue you will fail in trying to stop.
Preventing traumatizing armed robberies is something you can try {to do.] I think the issues facing Bradley start at the top, and trickle-down through the administration.
It’s time to for the university to take a stand. A visible stand so alumni, current students, and prospective students all know they are serious about stopping these issues.
-Brett Williams, 2012 graduate
