Meeting discusses campus safety, 475-RIDE

On Tuesday the Chancellor's University Safety Committee held an open meeting to hear student concerns and discuss the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's 2009 Third Quarter Injury/Illness Report.

April Schueths, a graduate student in sociology and student chair for the Chancellor's Commission on the Status of Women, had questions about safety in housing and the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska's program NU on Wheels.

Schueths said students have concerns with housing because of incidents in which late-night door-watching procedures have not been carried through appropriately.

Students are also curious about the possibility of adding more camera surveillance to the residents halls, which police have said would be a question of cost.

Schueths also said there is confusion about who can access the NU on Wheels program and worries about the drivers.

"Have there been background checks on the people who are driving?" she asked.

The committee didn't answer her question, but ASUN Director of Administration Marlene Beyke said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that the state requires background checks on all cab drivers.

Another cause of confusion was whether the service will only give an individual a ride at a time or if a group of people can ride.

The committee didn't answer her question, but Beyke said students can ride in groups, if cab size allows, and if everyone is going to the same address.

Schueths also asked which residence halls are on 24-hour lock down. Cather and Pound Residence Halls are on lock down as of March 5, following support of the Residence Hall Association senate.

During the meeting, the committee also learned about employee safety at UNL.

Yoko Smith, Occupational Safety Technician from the Environmental Health & Safety department, read the 2009 Third Quarter Injury/Illness Report.

The report documents on-the-job injuries to university workers.

There were several high cost incidents, including a multi-car accident, several falls and back pain from moving equipment.

From January through March, almost one-fourth of the incidents reported were because of handling, pushing, pulling and carrying on the job.

Two accidents involved vehicles, one involved a pickup truck.

"The ceiling was collapsed," Smith said. "I'm really surprised he was able to walk away from that."

The other resulted from driver negligence, she said. The vehicle was smashed.

Smith said during the third quarter fewer undergraduate student workers on payroll got into accidents than in previous quarters, continuing a downward trend.

kimbuckley@dailynebraskan.com