University is a place where students go to learn, have fun and live an independent life. For most, it’s their first home away from home and should be a safe space. Unfortunately this is not the case for everybody. With a recent rise in university students going missing, committing suicide and being the victims of burglaries, we are living in a high climate for worry and stress as parents send their children off into the world to fend for themselves.
The University of Gloucestershire, according to The World of University Rankings is the 51st safest university in Britain. With the University of Surrey coming in first and the University of Middlesex coming last.
The University of Gloucestershire is trying to battle these statistics by hiring community patrol officers. Their job is to walk the streets near and around the universities accommodation villages and the local night clubs. This makes sure that students are able to get home safely and get the help they need in times of crisis. It also makes sure that they can keep an eye on anti-social behaviour around the community. They also hire security staff to check on students regularly within their accommodation, making sure everyone and everything is in order.
Second year student of the university, Nathan Allen, talks about his safety at university:
“I do feel safe when I’m at university because you get a lot of support from staff but also freedom. I did feel safer in the first year of university as I was in accommodation, so, security would be around a lot who were really friendly. Whereas now I am in my own house, however, it is university listed so that makes me feel better about my situation. On a night out I do feel safe when walking home but can’t say I have seen many patrol officers out helping students.”
Another second year student, however, disagrees:
“In my first year at university I felt a lot safer. We had people who patrolled our accommodation and there were lots of cameras around. But where I live now, which is a university listed house I don’t feel safe. Two of my house mates have been mugged nearby and there isn’t much street lighting. I feel there should be more security put in place for second year students as we are left to our own devices. But on the whole I do feel safe at university. You need key cards to get in and out the building which gives me piece of mind.”
There is obviously divided opinion here at the University of Gloucestershire, as shown by our own statistics that we conducted.
Overall, we are at a point where some students really don’t feel they are getting the security the need from their university. It is time for universities over the country to review their safety for students and possibly make some big changes.
Do you generally feel safe at University?
— UOGParklife (@UOGParklife) February 22, 2019
