Campus Safety/Security Survey

1. Campus Safety/Security Survey 2010

2. Survey Purpose • To provide an assessment of safety and security issues on the UHH Campus and to solicit ideas for improvement.

3. Development of the survey The survey was developed based on issues highlighted in Chancellor Teng’s 2009 Report to the Legislature on the status of security at University of Hawaii Hilo.

4. Survey Participant by Facility/Location (293) • UHH (Main Campus) 83.3% • COP Research Facility 4.1% • COP Annex 3.8% • KFP 2.7% • Imiloa 1.0% • NHERC 1.0% • Other 4.1%

6. Survey Participants • Students 58.8% • Faculty 19.4% • Staff 17.9% • Administration 4.2%

7. P A R T I C I P A N T S 58.8% 17.6% 4.2% 19.4%

8. Opinions on Professionalism • Excellent 18.4% • Satisfactory 45.1% • No Opinion 20.1% • Inadequate 16.0% • Poor 5.2%

9. P R O F E S S I O N A L I S M

10. PrimaryAreas of Concern • Security • Lighting • Theft • Crime • Vehicle Issues • Emergency Phones

11. Primary Security Concerns • More presence (Visibility) of Security Guards at night • Security Guards need to act more professionally • Lack of security cameras • Lag in response to a call • A number of Security Guards are not physically fit enough to respond in a timely manner

12. Primary Security Concerns (continued) • People who don’t belong on campus wandering around • Especially at CoP buildings • Harassment by peers • Please spend the money to make sure that security staff are trained to assist assault victims with care and correct advice

13. PrimaryLighting Concerns • At night, lighting is poor or non existent at: • Many sidewalks • Library to parking lots • Stairwells and some halls of buildings • Sidewalk between UCB and Athletic Complex • No lights past bridge at G parking all the way to research park • The administration turns off the lights to save a few pennies on the electric bill, but this jeopardizes the safety of students and faculty who work on campus in the evenings

14. PrimaryTheft/Crime Concerns • Car theft and vandalism • Theft from offices • Random visits by irritated individuals Concerns relate to lack of Security Guard visibility and ability to respond

15. Concerns Regarding Vehicles • Parking lots, people keep stealing • Cars being keyed, No control of who comes on campus • Many cars are vandalized or damaged by other cars • My vehicle was keyed in broad daylight • Safety of my vehicle is an issue ever since the series of break-ins a semester ago

16. Concerns RegardingEmergency Phones • High number of emergency phones do NOTwork • Lack of emergency call boxes. Need to implement more “post style” phones like at the Student Life Center Students are not comfortable on campus at night

17. Concerns Regarding Campus Housing • Security Guards should be more student oriented • Student housing needs more Security Guard presence • Second hand smoke level is high • Rampant disregard of rules and regulations regarding drug use • The cc’s at on-campus housing don’t do anything when people play their music way too loud when people are trying to study…..morning and night

18. COMPLIMENTS • Job well done / The staff are great / Thanks for all you do • Thank you to security who takes care of us at theCoP Campus. I appreciate those who come and help unlock doors when I’m locked out • Having a safety environment in UH Hilo, makes me feel like I’m staying in my homeland • I feel that UHH is genuinely concerned with our well-being and security. When I’m on the main campus security patrols are constantly visible

19. COMPLIMENTS • Since having a UHH Security Division Head for the campus I’ve noticed an improvement in the security personnel’s professional manner • All my dealings with the security staff have been very good. They always smile and wave • Our security folks are very easy to work with and have been helpful on every occasion when I’ve had to work with them • Security does respond promptly when called

20. COMPLIMENTS • The security personnel have been very responsive to requests made of them and do regular security checks whenever I’m in the building late at night • I’ve had several positive experiences with all the security staff and my only concerns are the limited tools they’re given to do a necessary job • Security has been very responsive when needed. Very friendly and helpful • I feel very safe on campus knowing that security is available and near

21. COMPLIMENTS • I did see some security in the parking lot for the student rec center on the weekend. That was nice • The security personnel are friendly and professional • Security quick response when called • Overall, although I spend 90% only in my bldg, I’ve seen a marked improvement on security and personnel • Staff appear to do what they can based on the limited resources available to them

22. Feedback & Opinions • Except for parking and apparent LACK of TIMELY RESPONSE they are extremely visible which means security is around and patrolling on a regular basis, especially in the evenings • As funding for infrastructure increases, it would be good to see an increase in the number of campus security personnel patrolling parking lots during evening hours • Police patrolling would be a nice show. On the mainland many police forces cruise the school to let students know they are concerned and working with the university • Provide more budget for security improvements, this is important

23. Feedback & Opinions • Individuals are sometimes very helpful, but the overallsystem is not designed to encourage student centeredness or service-mindedness • Maybe security needs to be more professionally trained to be more pro active and in support of all the procedures • When security is being helpful to faculty who have locked themselves out of their offices, security should check id’s • Revamp their image, they have no power to do anything but call the police anyway. Spin them as something more friendly then “security” and get them interacting more with students and staff

24. Feedback & Opinions • I think they appear to do a good job…are they cost- efficient? I do not know what we pay for security • Please don’t over police the campus. The best protection is for the campus to be a tight knit community of which the security guards are a part of rather than an enforcement agency like at larger schools. • I suggest building gates at all the entrances and closing them at 7:00 pm with only the main entrance and Housing/Nowelo open 24 hours. Old gym and along Kapiolani St is just plain spooky • If people feel unsafe after dark an escort could be established to escort people across campus

25. Feedback & Opinions • Covered walkways to get back to the dorms would be much appreciated • Sometimes there are lights on during the DAYTIME and that is a killer waste of electricity. Security should be conscious of those things as well • Presently there is no one certified to administer any first aid or CPR at the Farm. We have students in need of emergency care with even the Professors not knowing what to do when the incident happens. I am very worried that the one day we will be faced with a very severe case and no one to administer first care to the student or staff prior to EMS arrival at the Farm.

26. Feedback & Opinions • Many Universities have contingency plans to assist students who need transportation back to campus if they are in town and have no other way to get back to campus or cannot drive because of drinking. Do we have such a plan? • Second hand smoke near campus facilities is bothersome • I travel to school with my baby and there are no changing tables

27. Technology Feedback • Security cameras are a cheap and proven method for decreasing crime • Electronic security, while OK, is no substitute for the person on the ground. I think violators are more afraid of security personnel than they are of cameras • Need to install more camera’s • Maybe some security cameras in parking lots would be a good idea • Wireless video monitoring of facilities is a one time expense and minimal expense to maintain

28. Parking Feedback • Change the ticketing time to the time the first classes start but keep the available time to buy parking passes at 6:00pm • There should be a one week period starting the first day of instruction at the beginning of each semester in which parking tickets are not administered. Students have enough financial obligations to see to as it is

29. Other Security Issues • Too many vehicles driving on the sidewalk near the tennis courts and Student Life Center • Certain walkways are slippery • Too bright at night, too many lights on in buildings wasting power for no security benefit • It would be nice if phone number was more widely publicized

30. Positive Conclusions • Over 60% of respondents indicated that they felt security was performing at a satisfactory level or better • An improved performance of security was observed over the last year • There exists support from students and staff for more funding of Security measures and personnel • Some areas of campus show evidence that Security Guards are highly visible

31. Constructive Conclusions • Need to disseminate information regarding the Escort Service that is already available to faculty and students • Need to ensure better patrolling and visibility of guards at night in areas indicated in survey • Need to ensure better enforcement of rules at on-campus housing • Need to add more Blue Light Call Stations – A request for approval of 21 more Blue Light Stations is in process – (eta: late 2011)

32. Constructive Conclusions • Need for more security cameras is already being addressed – analysis of appropriate equipment, system integration, and upgrade is in process (eta: late 2011) • Need for more training, higher performance standards, and supervisory oversight of Security guards is being addressed in new BID for new security contract due in August, 2010 • Need for quicker response – UHH is moving toward implementation of an Emergency Operations Center to be staffed 24/7 (eta hoped for late 2011)