To: All Students, Faculty and Staff at UBC’s Vancouver campus
UBC’s Campus Safety Working Group was formed in 2013 to examine how the university could become an even safer place than it already is. Over the past year, we have been following through on the group’s recommendations, including:
- Improving campus lighting and landscaping practices to increase visibility
- Expanding the AMS Safe Walk Program (http://www.ams.ubc.ca/services/safewalk) by providing year-round service both in vehicles and on foot
- Enhancing coverage by UBC Campus Security through the implementation of increased bike patrols
To ensure the momentum generated by the Working Group is maintained, we will convene a Campus Safety Roundtable this month to look back at steps taken over the past two years and identify further measures for consideration.
Another of the Working Group’s recommendations we will be acting on over the coming year is the installation of new Emergency Blue Phones and security cameras on campus. We will initiate plans to:
- Install motion-activated security cameras at the two bus loops
- Expand the number of Emergency Blue Phone locations (http://security.ubc.ca/content/campus-blue-phones) from 19 to over 30
- Replace existing Blue Phones with a new model that will include a security camera
The cameras will be activated once a comprehensive policy regarding camera installation and use has been established. The Office of the University Counsel will oversee the policy development process and consult with campus stakeholders and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. with a view to obtaining Board approval in the coming months.
As always, we welcome your feedback at stay.safe@ubc.ca and we look forward to hearing from you through the weeks and months ahead.
Arvind Gupta
President and Vice-Chancellor
Louise Cowin
Vice-President, Students