No surprise: Crime way down while campus closed

Share: After a year of remote learning, it is important for students to be mindful of their own safety, as well as the safety of others upon returning to campus. PCC’s 2021 Annual Campus Safety Report was released last week and details what types of crimes were reported on-campus, as well as what to do in case of a natural or man-made emergency. According to the document, crime rates at PCC have been low in 2020 compared to previous years. However, it is important to …

Left behind: Is PCC prepared to evacuate disabled students?

Share: In light of the recent school shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, disability advocates have voiced concerns over emergency procedures in schools across the country that do little to consider the needs of disabled students. Although PCC’s emergency guidelines include considerations for students with mobility and sensory disabilities, questions remain as to whether more can be done to ensure the safety of disabled students during emergencies. Much of the recent concern is linked to a standard emergency procedure called “shelter in place,” …

Tragedies spur safety reforms then and now

Share: One night in 1986, a young college student was murdered in her dorm room at Lehigh University. She did not know her attacker, a fellow student, had been stalking her for some time. She did not know that there had been several reports of violent incidents on her campus in the months leading to her tragic death, and thus she did not feel that she was in any danger. She did not know any of this, because no one was required to tell her. …