Public Safety stops by SGA meeting, funds approved

By: Meredith Whelchel – Managing Editor

To continue cultivating a relationship with students, two University of Dayton Public Safety officers answered questions at the weekly Student Government Association meeting Sunday, Nov. 24.

Officers Tom Weber and Jim Huffman said the biggest issue they see on campus is students, particularly females, walking alone at night or without identification. Weber said if a student isn’t carrying some form of ID, their efforts to help the student are delayed significantly.

SGA members asked the officers about the implementation of “new” policies on campus regarding alcohol. Weber explained
while Public Safety isn’t involved in the creation of the handbook rules, they are in charge of how they are enforced.

“The outcome of basically any interaction depends on how the student behaves toward us,” Weber said.

In light of third-year law student Matthew Corning’s recent death, a question was raised about a drug culture cultivating on campus. Huffman said he felt drug use had slowed down considerably on campus, but there were some substances that were more prevalent than others.

“We see a lot of marijuana and molly on campus,” Weber said. “People are also finding new ways to get high, which is an issue everywhere. There is a big heroin problem in Montgomery County in general, but I don’t think here on campus.
It’s mainly an issue of outsiders carrying drugs in.”

After this discussion, SGA heard a special request from the Appalachia Club which focuses on service and awareness for the poverty in the Appalachian region. The club requested $1,500 to hold an awareness event featuring a musical artist, and were granted that amount by the 16 voting Senate members present.

A majority of nine members were needed to approve requests.

SGA will have one final meeting for the semester Sunday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Kennedy Union Ballroom.