Panthers work together to improve safety

Hoping to reestablish a feeling of security for PVAMU students, Dr. Miron Billingsley, associate vice president of student affairs, called a meeting with several members of the PVAMU community on April 6.

Representatives from University Village, University College, the Office of Student Activities, the Department of Public Safety, the Office of Student Conduct, the Office of Public Relations and various student leaders met to determine how to make the campus a much safer place after organized extracurricular events.

Monday night the UC hosted a campaign party and afterward, a mini riot broke loose resulting in students being maced and several fights around the premises as well as University Village.

Billingsley said after those incidents, he is enforcing a no nonsense, no tolerance policy for the rest of the semester, more specifically, SpringFest. Infractions include fighting, water balloon fights and breaking into buildings.

"Anyone caught will go straight to jail," said Billingsley.

Effective this Friday and and Saturday, university officials are taking precautions for the large crowds expected at the carnival and glow party. Also they will be closing the campus gates starting around 7:30 p.m. and cars coming onto campus will be monitored and checked to make sure they have a reason to be at PVAMU.

Police will also be searching random cars for illegal and/or prohibited paraphernalia.

"SpringFest is a wonderful time and I'm excited about the opportunity for the students, but I want the students to be safe. You guys are students first," said Billingsley.

Billingsley also encouraged students to keep their doors locked because personal items sometimes "walk away when visitors are on campus."

University officials are asking that students help ensure that events close much more smoothly and without violence.

Chief Algray Pettus of the Department of Public Safety asks students to help officers by following rules and reporting suspicious activity.

"The smallest incidents may have the main characters [involved in other incidents] in them. Let us know. It could be a beef carried over," said Pettus.

David Webb, lieutenant of operations for the Department of Public Safety, said he supports SpringFest and hopes students will be safe and smart during all of the events.

"It's not fair to let a couple of knuckleheads ruin it for the good students," said Webb.

Webb added that the PVAMU community should be much more aware between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. because most of the problems happen during those hours and after students have more than likely been drinking.

Students living in University College and University Village have been warned by the property managers that they will be evicted if caught violating any part of their lease.

"We will follow through [with the evictions]," said Lettie Raab, director of University College.

"I only feel like I'm safe because I know what I need to do to keep myself out of trouble," said junior biology major Gifty Gyebi. "I'm skeptical to participate in SpringFest because you never know."

Gyebi is looking forward to the no tolerance policy and hopes it is actually enforced. She believes the only way to measure its success is to actually see it in action. She hopes students are really help accountable.