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News of the assaults resonated on Dalhousie鈥檚 campus. A sign reading 鈥淪top Tailgaters鈥� is posted prominently in Shirreff Hall, one of the university鈥檚 largest traditional residences. The posters refer to the opportunistic people who slide through a door just before it closes, usually on the heels of a resident who has access.
It鈥檚 part of an education program that aims to make students more vigilant and less accommodating.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be reinforcing safety once again with our regular floor meetings in all the residences. It鈥檚 education and awareness 鈥� don鈥檛 be complacent about security,鈥� says Heather Sutherland, Director of Housing, Conferences and Ancillary Services.
In addition to the new 鈥淪top Tailgaters鈥� campaign, a variety of security measures are in place for Dalhousie鈥檚 residences.
鈥淲e really strive to get to know the students who live in the residences,鈥� says Bruce Caddell, Manager of Ancillary Systems. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 absolutely key, having the personal relationships.鈥�
One of the best security measures is also one of the least 鈥榟igh tech鈥� 鈥� creating a supportive community of familiar faces. 鈥淒on鈥檛 take anything for granted. Look after each other, look after your buddy,鈥� says Ms. Sutherland.
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On busy evenings, two commissionaires are routinely on duty in the buildings. 鈥淲e have our major buildings staffed 24 hours a day. Even in the smaller residences, there鈥檚 an overnight shift and RAs regularly do tours,鈥� says Ms. Sutherland.
In addition, there are useful technologies that come into play, including surveillance cameras and a pass card system. When a DalCard is swiped, a commissionaire is able to call up a database that compares a photo of the residence student with the individual using the card. This prevents the misuse of lost cards, or cards that are loaned.
In fact, security challenges are monitored year-round with a view to making improvements. The Residential Security Committee meets on an ongoing basis to identify issues, with the intention of finding technological and operational solutions. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing everything we can to be proactive in this way,鈥� says Mr. Caddell.
鈥淚鈥檝e just arrived on campus but so far, I feel safe,鈥� says Manal Latif, a first-year student who lives in Shirreff Hall.
Students say...
 | 鈥淚 live off campus, but I feel safe here. I鈥檓 at the library late at night, sometimes ... of course, you always think about things that could happen in the back of your mind, but I don鈥檛 feel there鈥檚 anything to be scared of here.鈥� 鈥� first-year student Sarah Khalife |
 | 鈥淵ou figure nothing is going to happen to you, but you always wonder. The other night, I walked from SMU to the Dal campus at one in the morning. I feel safe living in residence for sure. I live in Newcombe. Nothing鈥檚 ever going to happen to you in Newcombe.鈥� 鈥� first-year student Emilie Labrie |
 | 鈥淚 came here from Carleton, and what happened there freaked me out. There are several things that are put in place on 黑料吃瓜网campus that are good, like the police presence and the walk-home service. Safety at night can be a worry, so you always take extra precautions, but in general, I feel safe.鈥� 鈥� PhD student Julie Crabb |
 | 鈥淚 know that Gerrard Hall is locked down 24/7, which is good. I know it鈥檚 not just in the night that creepy people can come around. I鈥檝e heard good things about security staff on campus being great at keeping any creepy people out. I think the Tiger Patrol is also a great idea, although I鈥檝e never used it personally. Security can be an issue for guys as well as girls 鈥� one of my friends just got mugged downtown by a bunch of teenagers. It鈥檚 easy to see how something like that can happen when you鈥檙e outnumbered.鈥� 鈥� second-year student Mason Connell |