Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sganet
Date:         Mon, 23 Nov 1992 22:02:40 EST
From:         Kenneth A Gideon <gideon@CS.ODU.EDU>
Subject:      MAKING COLLEGE A BETTER PLACE

Noah Smith writes:
 > Hello!  My name is Noah Smith, and I'm a senator in Nortwestern's sga (We
 > call ours ASG for Associated Student Government).

Hi Noah, my name is Ken Gideon, and I am the Executive Director of the Student
Association of Virginia, the umbrella group for all VA SGAs, as well as the
Chairman of Old Dominion Universitiy's Student Senate Student Services
Committee.

 > External Relations Committee, it is my mission in life to find out if
 > anybody out there in netland (especially sga members around the world) has
 > ideas on how to improve universities.  Although I will accept any SERIOUS
 > (no flaming, please) ideas that come my way, I've been instructed to look
 > especially for ideas on race relations and campus safety, as well as if you
 > know about any upcoming student leadership conferences.  After I get a

In Virginia, we have an annual Human Relations Conference that addresses the
concerns of race relations on campuses across the state.  It started, I
believe, about three or four years ago, and there has not, as of yet, been a
great deal of useful information that has come out of the conference.  A great
deal of talking between races has occurred, and this is a good thing, but we
all came to the conclusion that making members of the other groups aware of
the other races and what they go through is the best way to start things out.
Most of the schools in the state have come up with some sort of cultural
awareness activity to boost race relations on our campuses.  At Old Dominion,
we have come up with Unity Week.  The last week in January is called Unity
Week.  During this time, we have panels, movies, displays, foods, etc. making
each of the different races and cultures on our campus aware of the others.
It has turned out to be quite a success in the past two years, and we are
doing it again this January.  It is used as a kick off to black history month,
which is February.  The last thing we do during Unity Week, is a Unity Step.
In case you don't know what a step show is, it is a dance type of thing where
everyone is "stepping" in conjuntion with everyone else.  Members of all
races and nationalities, facutlty, staff, students, and administrators,
including our University President, participate in the Unity Step on the
mall in front of our Student Center.  It has been a great success, and race
related problems have declined.  I don't, however, have any proof that the
problems have declined due to Unity Week, but it has definitely had positive
results.

As for Safety, we have had a great number of concerns regarding this issue as
well.  We are in the heart of Norfolk, and there has been a great deal of
crime occuring on and around our campus in the past two years.  We have had
one of our students killed just off campus, and 5 other students at Norfolk
State University, just down the road, shot and killed as well.  Our President
has increased the budget of our campus police so that we know have 23 officers
on our campus police force.  This is for a student population of 17,000.  Our
President has also increased the funds given to our student escorts.  These
escorts are available from 5:30pm until 12:30am every night of the week, except
during holidays when the University is completely closed.  We now have close to
25 student escorts.  They will escort students, faculty, staff, and guests any
where on campus, as well as within one half mile off campus.  There has never
been any problem for a person being escorted *knock on wood*.  Old Dominion
has also started a cooperative effort with the Norfolk Police Department.  We
have one of our officers patroling the surrounding areas with the Norfolk
officers so taht we can deal with problems better than either could alone.
The University and Norfolk mostly patrol the areas with the highest rate of
students living.  Approximately 40% of our students live within 5 miles of the
University.

I know there was not a lot here, Noah, but I hope it helps you!  If you have
any questions, please feel free to contact me.

 > I'll tell ya, it took A LONG TIME to find this newsgroup, but I was
 > disappointed to find so few items.  Let's use this group to its fullest
 > potential: let's share ideas.  Thanks a lot!
 >
My sentiments exactly.  Good job, Noah.

Ken Gideon
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