Personal Safety Committee
Contact Information
Please contact 645-2228 for further information about the Personal Safety Committee or to bring items to its attention. View or download brochure about the Personal Safety Committee as a PDF (122KB).
History and Purpose
In April 1984, Chancellor Cliffton Wharton, responding to expressed concerns about personal safety on SUNY campuses, called for each state-operated campus in the SUNY system to form a broad-based and continuing advisory group to review issues of personal safety. In June of 1984, the SUNY Board of Trustees adopted a resolution supporting the Chancellor's request. The University at Buffalo already had in place the "President's Task Force on Women's Safety" which then President, Steven B. Sample, designated as UB's official "Personal Safety Committee".
In 1990, the requirements for the composition of the Committee were formalized with regard to the number of representatives (at least 12), their gender (evenly divided between men and women), and their university affiliation (equal numbers of faculty, students, and staff).
The purpose of the Personal Safety Committee, as stipulated by the 1991 mandate from the Vice President for Student Affairs, is "to advise the Vice President for Student Affairs on issues related to the personal safety and security of all members of the University community and visitors to our campus." Formerly, the Committee's main concern was women's safety, which continues to be reflected in its second major task: to provide the Vice President for Student Affairs with reports, suggestions, and recommendations for the "improvement of personal security conditions in all areas of campus response protocols for sexual assault situations."
Responsibilities of the Committee
- Recommend further actions and programs that will raise the level of safety awareness among all members of the University community.
- Identify ways to utilize academic programs for the enhancement of personal safety.
- Review existing programs and suggest improvements in safety education, particularly for students taking evening courses, using campus services such as libraries and computing sites during off hours, and living in residence halls.
- Review and identify potential sources of funding for future and current programs related to personal safety on campus.
- Review and suggest improvements to campus preventative and judicial policies on sexual assault.
- Conduct regular lighting tours of both campuses to maintain a safe environment for those on campus during evening hours.
- Conduct regular meetings regarding the status of blue light phones on campus.
- Monitor availability of counseling services for victims.
- Continue on-going assessment of the quality of personal safety policies, practices, procedures, and programs by reviewing critical incidents.
- Periodically conduct formal and informal survey of student and staff opinion.
- Analyze crime statistics reported by University Police.
Personal Safety Reminder
- Leave lights on in entry ways when you go out.
- Walk or run with a friend. Be alert to your surroundings and the people near you.
- Avoid walking alone at night. Call the Anti-Rape Task Force at 829-2584 for more information on their escort and van service.
- Walk assertively with confidence. An attacker looks for someone who appears vulnerable.
- At night, walk close to the curb. Avoid bushes and doorways where an attacker can hide. Travel on well-lit streets.
- Do not use earphones while walking, driving, or bicycling.
- If followed, walk quickly to well-lit, populated areas. If followed by a car, turn and walk in the opposite direction.
- Personal alarms may help deter an attempted assault.
- In the residence halls, avoid being in the laundry rooms alone at night. If strangers telephone or come to your door, do not admit that you are alone.
- For all emergencies on campus call 645-2222.
Meetings
The Personal Safety Committee meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 9 am. in 250 Student Union to review campus safety and security issues and to make recommendations to the Vice President of Student Affairs. The meetings are open and all members of the University Community are encouraged to speak with their representatives or address the Committee directly with their safety concerns.
2009-2010 PSC Meetings
*All meetings will start at 9 am in 250 Student Union (Location change for Mar. 9 in 142 Student Union)
PSC Meeting Date Change: The meeting on Thursday, November 10th has been moved to Thursday, November 12th at Bissell Hall
- October Cancelled
- Tuesday, November 12, 2009 (Bissell Hall) - Date has been moved, see change above.
- Tuesday, December 08, 2009
- Tuesday, January 12, 2010
- Tuesday, February 09, 2010
- Tuesday, March 09, 2010 (Room changed to 142 Student Union)
- Tuesday, April 13, 2010
- Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Active Members:
- Gerald W. Schoenle Jr. - Director, Public Safety/Ad-hoc Chair, P.S.C.
- Elizabeth Lidano - Director, Judicial Affairs Services
- Sherri Darrow - Director, Wellness Education Services
- Robert Innes - University Facilities
- Ken Hood - University Libraries
- Tracey Eastman - Communications & Marketing/Student Affairs
- Toby Shapiro - New Student Programs
- Taquesha Cain - Residential Life and Apts.
- Jane Fischer - Director, HEHS
- Marilyn Kramer - University Libraries
- Frederick S. Wood - Operational Support Services
- James Guy - Fire & Life Safety
- Dave Foti - Operational Support Services
- Lynda Burey - Environment, Health & Safety Services
- Mary Clare Fahey - Student Life
- Michelle Kleinfelder - Asst. to the PSC
- Renee Greene - Parking & Transportation
Meeting Minutes
- September 8, 2009 - PDF (43KB) | Word (30KB)
- May 12, 2009 - PDF (34KB) | Word (27KB)
- April 09, 2009 - PDF (29KB) | Word (28KB)
- March 10, 2009 - PDF (39KB) | Word (34KB)
- February 10, 2009 - PDF (36KB) | Word (31KB)
- December 09, 2008 - PDF (18KB) | Word (27KB)
- November 11, 2008 - PDF (40KB) | Word (28KB)
- October 14, 2008 - PDF (27KB) | Word (31KB)
- September 09, 2008 - PDF (24KB) | Word (29KB)
- May 15, 2008 - PDF (25KB) | Word (28KB)
- April 22, 2008 - PDF (29KB) | Word (30KB)
- February 12, 2008 - PDF (25KB) | Word (31KB)