Assault calls for refined communication

By Julia Lukomnik     2/5/09 6:00pm

Last week there was a sexual assault on campus in the Humanities Building, which is in itself truly frightening. What is almost equally frightening is the fact that very few people knew about it, which put them in danger of similar attacks. As a coordinator for the Women's Resource Center, I would like to take this opportunity to offer the WRC's condolences to the victim of the attack and suggestions to the Rice University Police Department on how they can better keep us safe after such an attack. In general, the attack calls for a wider and more timely dissemination of information without disparities.Let's start with immediately after the assault, which occurred on a weekday night in the center of campus when it was almost certain that many people were out and about. As the perpetrator was not detained by RUPD, it is conceivable that students and faculty in the area were in danger of encountering him. To keep members of the Rice community safe, RUPD should have initiated a system for instantaneous notification, allowing people in the area to retreat to safe locations or do whatever they thought necessary to protect themselves.

Luckily for us, a manner in which to notify Rice members of exactly this type of incident exists - it's called the Emergency Notification System, and it has been used in the past to alert of robberies on campus. The system works incredibly well, with text messages going out only minutes after incidents, and we at the WRC laud RUPD for the system's inception but question why it was not utilized to alert the campus of this assault. We feel it is absolutely necessary that events of this kind be reported on the Emergency Notification System, and we urge RUPD and the Rice administration to be vigilant that the system is utilized when necessary.

The day after the assault the ominous red-bordered bulletins appeared on buildings. In general, this is a good strategy to alert the public to incidents. However, there are some ways to improve the system, especially in regards to the recent assault.

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Firstly (and this may have escaped general notice), there were two versions of the bulletin - one that characterized the incident as a sexual assault and one that classified it as simply an assault and gave significantly fewer details. The disparity in information between these two bulletins is a mistake that should not be repeated. Students and faculty have the right to the full story. In addition, spreading multiple accounts of one incident caused confusion.

Secondly, although posted bulletins were a helpful way to alert the Rice community, the locations of the bulletins - on doors in heavily trafficked areas - were not quite as effective. Putting bulletins on doors makes it difficult for people to read them, as the doors are constantly being opened and closed. Why not put the bulletins on walls next to doors or on bulletin boards in buildings? These locations get just as much traffic, but allow for the Rice community to actually take time to read them.

Lastly, since the time of the incident there has been no follow-up on whether or not the perpetrator has been caught, nor has there been any information as to what steps RUPD and the Houston Police Department are taking in regards to the assault. RUPD must keep the Rice community informed of what steps are being taken in cases like this that affect the whole community.

There exists a need for more comprehensive and timely information regarding incidents like the assault that occurred last week. In addition to more complete and quick information, the administration should also consider installing lights in some of the darkest locations on campus (and to speed up installation of lights around the Outer Loop). I would also like to remind students, faculty and staff alike to make use of the RUPD night escort service. Again, on behalf of the WRC I offer our consolations to the victim of this assault and hope that with the proper information and the proper precautions, Rice will be able to avoid further incidents in the future.

Julia Lukomnik is a Baker College junior.

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