Dear Students,
As another weekend approaches, I want to address the issues of student safety and behavior off-campus. We know that students leaving area bars or off-campus house parties, particularly in the late night/early morning hours, are vulnerable to robberies and assaults.
I strongly encourage you to follow the advice of the Office of Safety and Security to minimize the opportunity for such crime: avoid walking alone at night off campus; utilize the PC Neighborhood shuttle or call a cab; immediately call 911 if you are the victim of or witness to a crime or emergency off-campus. Do your part to keep yourselves and your friends safe. Make smart and responsible choices about what you do, where and when you go and how you travel. PC continues to fund neighborhood police details and explore ways to further promote student safety off campus.
Last week, officials from PC, Johnson & Wales University and Rhode Island College met with city councilmen, local police, students and Elmhurst neighborhood residents. Many residents are concerned, frustrated and angry. This neighborhood has become a major party destination for college and high school students and non-students from Providence and surrounding communities. Dangerous drinking, fighting, vandalism, public urination, etc. are realities that neighborhood residents including students must contend with every weekend.
I believe that the vast majority of PC students do not engage in these behaviors. I am grateful that the police have accurately acknowledged that only a portion of this unacceptable behavior can be attributed to PC students. But this is a problem that we must all own and address, particularly since high-risk drinking is a danger to the health and safety of PC students.
“Operation Red Cup” is here to stay. Beginning this weekend, it will also begin targeting dangerous or disruptive house parties. The likelihood of students being cited for violating drinking laws and related crimes off-campus is now substantially higher. The consequences of being cited or arrested are financially significant and also can impact students’ abilities to continue at PC or compete for jobs and graduate school admissions.
The damaging effects of these activities on student safety and well-being, academic performance, neighborhood relations, and Providence College’s reputation make this an issue that affects all of us – whether you live on or off-campus and whether you drink or abstain from alcohol.
In the coming weeks, you will be hearing more about ways you can become involved in discussing, promoting, and protecting PC’s campus culture. I look forward to working closely together with you to address these concerns.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Christopher M. Fortunato, JD, LCSW
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs/
Dean of Students
Providence College
1 Cunningham Square
Providence, RI 02918-0001
401.865.1772
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Received on Thu Oct 15 17:36:22 2009
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