Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

Matthew Dulin        Ray Hafner       Geronimo Rodriguez
         Shaun Salnave          Cara Sarelli

The Campus Crime Update printed every Monday in The Daily Cougar isnit getting any smaller, but the Student Government Association may be on the right track to help change that.

SGA senators will be touring the campus today in an effort to highlight areas where security could be significantly improved. 

They might want to spend extra time on our parking lots, taking special notice of how loosely monitored the lots really are, especially the large outlying so-called "economy" lots. While Department of Parking and Transportation officials are writing tickets, cars are getting broken into in broad daylight.

Our student representatives should also stay the night and take a look at our campus after-hours. Save for the rare nights when a full moon provides an ample glow across the campus, many areas are impenetrable voids of blackness. In most cases, lights that are already there simply are not functioning. In others, such as near the UC Satellite, itis a good idea to carry a flashlight, because there arenit any lights at all.

The M.D. Anderson Memorial Library and other campus hot spots are havens for petty theft. On the whole, students need to be more aware of their surroundings and aware of their fellow student. But at the same time, these buildings should implement some measures to increase that awareness. Posters that warn students to keep an eye on their belongings could help a bit. It also wouldnit hurt if some buildings had guards in place -- police or hired help.

Of course, financially speaking, guards would cramp an already tightening budget. Nonetheless, the UH Police Department should look into long-term improvements such as parking lot surveillance. 

Those students who have been affected by crime -- whether they be a victim of theft, harassment or burglary -- need to speak up with their views on how their particular situations could have been prevented if the University had done something differently.

They can start by talking to The Daily Cougar -- or even, better, by talking to UHPD or one of the senators who will be passing by about the campus.

Compared to Houston as a whole, UH is not that bad in terms of crime. It certainly isnit rampant or debilitating to our everyday lives. But that doesnit mean it couldnit be better.
Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu