Campus Safety officials plan to increase safety efforts and install a radar speed sign as speeding is a ‘valid concern’ in parking lots.

According to Campus Safety officials, concerns have been raised by various staff members, including professors, Facility Management staff, and members of the Sisters of Mercy. Most reports they receive are informal, often coming verbally from individuals who were nearly struck by a vehicle driven in an unsafe manner.

“Do we have people doing 80 miles an hour? No, we don’t. But based on our conditions, we do have individuals going too fast.” Francis Hacken, Director of Campus Safety.

Hacken believes students using cell phones while driving, combined with their impatience with getting preferred parking, and heavy foot traffic contributors to unsafe conditions. He said a large event, such as the Centennial Homecoming, can intensify these conditions.

To address the concerns, Campus Safety will work with the university’s finance department to purchase and introduce a radar speed sign to campus to show drivers their speed in real time.

Under the proposed plan, drivers who are speeding could face penalties such as parking tickets or they may be referred for disciplinary violations. Campus Safety officials emphasized that education and voluntary compliance are the main goals.

“This is a cooperative adventure between all of us,” Hacken said, “and the biggest one that we’re looking for cooperation is the campus community, because we do not want to do enforcement. We want voluntary compliance, and we have a lot of smart people, and we do believe that when the concerns are voiced a little bit stronger, we will get compliance from our campus community.”

In response to hearing of the proposed safety efforts mass communications and design major MyKenna Decker said she’s hopeful the radar speed sign will work to slow down drivers.

“I feel like it could work.” Decker says. “My only fear is that students will simply speed though a different road once they get caught with the speed radar.”

Campus Safety is also working with Facility Management and other campus leadership to improve safety through traffic flow. One area of concern is a private road by the Sisters of Mercy residence, where the Sisters often walk for exercise.

“They zip down there,” Joseph Mangan, Campus Safety Supervisor, said about students using the Sisters’ private road.

“The Sisters have been scared of vehicles coming down that road,” Mangan said.

With the proposed plan in place, Campus Safety Officials hope that improved safety efforts will reduce unsafe driving. Hacken emphasized that they aim to progressively make things better.

“If we can make things 25% better, 50% better, we’ve done a good job,” Hacken said.

Campus Safety officials encourages everyone in the university community to be alert and responsible in the parking lots.