Y ou may wonder who will be safeguarding our campus next year. On Wed., April 5, Amie Wright was chosen out of nine candidates to be Safewalk Coordinator for the 2000/01 term.
Decision-makers included Campus Security Manager Lanny Fritz, Students’ Union Vice-president Events Jared Lorenz and current safewalk Coordinator Lisha Hassanali.
"We were most impressed with her enthusiasm," said Hassanali, "She really wants to be Safewalk Coordinator."
Wright, a fourth-year double major in Cultural Anthropology and English, says she’s pleased with the new position. "[I’m] very excited about being coordinator and working with the program from the
inside," she said.
Originally from Connecticut, Wright seems to have adjusted well
to Calgary. She first lived in residence at the university and according to Hassanali, one of her selling features is that she knows a lot of people around campus.
Wright has volunteered with Safewalk for two years and plans to
implement a few changes to the program.
"I’d like to introduce a team leader program to get Safewalkers comfortable in small groups first," she said. Currently, the program has
58 volunteers with only one manager and one coordinator.
"[I would also like] Safewalk and Campus Security to have more of a rapport together, maybe hang out together and have more security officers present in training."
Wright also envisions other changes. "It would be cool if we could get Safewalkers cell phones or two-way radios, but I don’t know how feasible that would be," she said, adding the budget might not be able to support it.
Wright also plans on looking into the legalities concerning covering more than a 30-minute radius off-campus.
If Safewalkers aren’t able to make the journey from campus to students’ homes, Wright would like students to know how to protect themselves. Campus Security offers a self-defence program offered for $10 for any student.
Safewalkers are eligible to take the program at no cost, but Wright would like to see more people getting involved. She would also like to make sure more students know about Safewalk.
"I want people to know we’re here; with posters, one-hour routines around campus, and popping up at concerts we should become more visible," she said.
In order to attract more volunteers and increase student awareness about the program, students will likely see a Safewalk booth at next year’s Academic Resource Expo, according to Wright. She will also target possible volunteers in clubs around campus and with frosh at U of C 101.
If you need a walk to the train station or your car, call Campus Security at 220-5333 or visit the Info Centre Booth in MacEwan Student Centre. The Safewalk Program operates 24 hours a day all year round.