College students across Georgia, ABAC included, have begun to feel increasingly fearful of their safety.
While on a routine jog at the University of Georgia track, Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley was abducted and killed; the suspect is Jose Antonio Ibarra, who allegedly came to the US illegally. This revelation has turned this small-town tragedy into a national conversation.Â
While no such incident has occurred on ABAC’s campus, and despite ABAC being ranked the 12th safest college campus in Georgia according to Niche.com, some students are still on edge.
According to an online, 24-hour poll conducted by The Stallion’s Instagram on Feb. 26, 62 female students reported feeling worried about their safety on campus; 63 female students reported they do not feel worried; three male students reported they do feel worried; and 29 male students reported they do not feel worried for their safety.
These results come from followers of The Stallion Instagram page, totaling 157 responses.
Some students are concerned about their safety while using the outdoor track, which runs by a public road.
“Due to limited network capability,” Director of Public Relations Chris Beckham said on behalf of ABAC, “ABAC does not have camera coverage over the entire campus. ABAC maintains lighting to have visibility across campus and has increased cameras for additional coverage. U.S. News and World Report provides tips for How to Stay Safe on a College Campus at https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-stay-safe-on-a-college-campus in which all students and employees should practice.”Â
Earlier this semester, students took to Yik Yak to post anonymously about an alleged “homeless man” wandering around the 3rd floor of ABAC Place 200 in the middle of the night. Just before these rumors, students noticed that the entrance’s disability button could be pressed to open the doors without using a key card to scan into the building.
“Several weeks ago, a resident of ABAC Place informed the Housing staff that an individual was in his/her room,” Beckham said. “After investigation, Housing determined the person was invited by another student within that assigned room. The Housing staff worked to identify and removed the individual from the premises. The button was replaced with automatic doors as part of a compliance requirement for Americans with Disability Act (ADA).”
Beckham did not specify if this Housing investigation was related to the anonymous online reports. Nonetheless, the disability button was soon after replaced, requiring students to scan their cards in order for the doors to open using the disability button.Â
While ABAC has not received reports from students regarding feeling unsafe on campus in the wake of Riley’s murder, the school wants students to know that on-campus safety is a top priority.
“ABAC seeks to provide students with the ability to learn in a safe environment. Through the various protective measures, ABAC ensures that the campus will remain a safe place for students to learn and grow as individuals. ABAC Police Department’s goal is to ‘protect the students, faculty, staff and visitors, their property and the property of ABAC.'”
“ABAC’s law enforcement team conducts a variety of jobs to keep the campus safe including conducting investigations, gathering information, making arrests, serving search warrants, notifying other law enforcement agencies, and assisting victims of crime,” Beckham continued.
“The Department maintains a good relationship with local law enforcement agencies in the surrounding area,” ABAC said. “The LiveSafe app provides students, faculty, and staff with a direct connection to the ABAC Police Department so that everyone can easily communicate all their safety needs. Its easy-to-use features help you stay safe every day and enable us to better protect you.”
In case of an emergency, call 911, or call the ABAC police department at 229-391-5060 for non-emergencies. ABAC’s police department is located in Evans Hall.