Wespeak

Is Wesleyan University An Unsafe Ivy?

By Lara Perez-Longobardo

I never considered myself to be the Wespeak-writing type. However, recent events have pushed me to this point.

Two years ago, when I was visiting Wesleyan, the administration was marketing Middletown as a "safe" place. I distinctly remember the first time I walked down Main Street, laughing about the idea of Middletown being considered a small city. My completely residential suburban hometown looked as, if not more, exciting. Yet, somehow, our campus just isn’t as calm as it claims itself to be.

Last year, shots were fired on campus at an open party. Next, convicted sex offenders moved into the area. Still, I do not recall any reported incidents in which Wesleyan students were victimized by either their fellow students or by an outsider. Now a female student has been carried off by a group of college-age guys, and a male student has been robbed at gun point in a campus parking lot.

Even on a daily basis, I have noticed a change in the area from this year to last. I don’t recall ever being sexually harassed last year, certainly not on a regular basis. This year, although nothing about my dress or behavior has changed, strange cars have been driving up to my (female) friends and me. Two weeks ago, coming out of Weswings at 6:30pm on a Friday night, two males drove right up to us on High Street, yelled out, "I’d like to see you ladies naked tonight," looked us up and down, laughed, and drove off. And a few similar incidents have occurred in the few weeks I’ve been on campus. For example, on the way to a party the first weekend of this year, my two friends and I were followed by a group of 7-8 intoxicated males in the vicinity of Judd Hall, demanding to know where we were going, our names, and why we weren’t responding to them. Since when has aggression ever been such an issue at Wesleyan?

Instead of spending so much money marketing us as another cookie-cutter Ivy, why don’t we spend some money on insuring safety? Much of campus is in need of better lighting. The majority of the CFA area and the path from Fisk to Campus Center, for instance, are rather dark. And although I used to notice the poor lighting and even walk alone at night without much concern, in light of recent events I find this situation to be quite disturbing. And although we do have Shuttle and Escort, both have major issues of efficiency and inconvenience.

Safety and location were a significant reason why I chose Wesleyan and didn’t even apply to UPenn and Columbia. I’m not pointing fingers. I’m not blaming Middletown. I’m not blaming alcohol or fraternities. And I’m not blaming the administration. But something is changing on this campus, and I for one don’t want to hear of any more Bulletin Broadcasts from Public Safety.

Perez-Longobardo is a member of the class of 2001