UT Austin Announces Campus Security Improvements

UT Austin Announces Campus Security Improvements

It’s been almost one year since freshman Haruka Weiser was murdered, and with an upcoming vigil planned in her honor, UT has announced a report of security improvements that have been made across campus.

  • March 30, 2017

The University of Texas at Austin consists of 164 buildings on campus. When a freshman student was murdered last spring, UT President Gregory Fenves immediately requested a security vulnerability assessment to do be on the main campus as well as on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus.

After a 4-month review, it was determined that there needed to be more lighting across campus, and that landscaping needed to be trimmed and adjusted in order for visibility to be increased. It was also suggested that police presence needed to be more prevalent, especially in high-traffic areas.

“The DPS report is one data point for us,” said Gerald Harkins, associate vice president of Campus Safety and Security. “There’s been communications from emails, community meetings, talking with staff on campus and dialogue with members of the community that also provided data points.”

Building access has also been updated, with 80 buildings requiring a UT pass from entrance. 34 classroom buildings require a UT pass, as well.

A vigil in Weiser’s honor has been planned for April 3, and UT wants its students and community to know that more measures have been taken for their safety on campus.

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