Mason to Hire 'Campus Safety Advocate'

By Broadside Staff Writer Matt Loffman

As one of their last major initiatives in office, outgoing Student Body President Zack Golden and Vice President Claire Forman worked with George Mason University administrators and police to establish a Campus Safety Advocate. The new student position will serve as a liaison between students and police.

“Student Government hears a lot of concerns from students about police and their presence, or lack thereof, around the campus,” said Forman, a senior global affairs major. “Sometimes these concerns are based on personal experiences, and sometimes they are based on stories from friends. Yet no matter how these concerns originated, there was obviously a need to improve the communication that goes on between Mason police, students and administrators.”

The two new CSAs will be available to students wishing to share their thoughts about the police or campus safety in general. Student suggestions will be shared with the appropriate campus administrators.

Some students believe opening a dialogue with police may be more important.

“I would want to know why I’d have more access to that person than the police,” said government and international politics major Erica Simmons. “I’m never going to run into the liaison. How would I know who they are? Are they going to wear a special t-shirt?”

Other students think the CSAs would have little real power to change student relations with police.

“What’s the point [of the CSA]?” said senior management major Tim Thannisch. “Who holds the true negotiation power in that relationship? It’s certainly not the students.”

Golden and Forman hope that the new position will help alleviate some of the negative feelings many students have toward Mason police. The CSA will try to change the culture at Mason and eliminate miscommunication.

“This is a great step in the right direction [toward] improving the student-Mason Police relationship,” said Golden, a senior government and international politics major.

The CSA will be trained in university policies including how to file complaints and what is acceptable student conduct. Additionally, the CSA will organize programs to inform students about campus safety and to update students on police relations. The estimated cost of the two new CSA positions is $13,500.

Any student is able to apply for the new position. Specific qualifications will be determined by University Life and Mason Police.

“The ideal candidate would be a student that is enthusiastic about working with other students and Mason Police with the goal of improving campus safety and student life,” Forman said.