VSU students are still concerned with lighting around campus.

Though many are well acquainted with the familiar late night walks around campus to and from their car, library or dormitory, some feel these walks have turned fearful.

 This fear is frequently present among the students of VSU due to the dark corners, empty walkways and the lack of lighting among them.

 The issue is mainly directed towards the nature trails, including the one behind Georgia Hall and the one by the Fine Arts building. These trails are vibrant with color during the day, but when night falls- so does fear.

 “There are just so many dark places on campus,” Brittany Burgdorf, a junior communication and disorders major, said. “I always have my mace ready at night when I walk around.”

 However, not every student like Burgdorf is prepared.

According to Raymond Sable, director of Plant Operations, his department is doing its best to make sure that the safety of VSU’s students is never compromised.

 “When it comes to safety and security decisions, Physical Plant will defer to the Environmental and Occupational Safety Office or the Campus Police Department to determine if improvements need to be made,” he said.

Sable also discussed the decision made concerning the two nature trails behind Georgia Hall and the Fine Arts Building.

 “In both those areas Physical Plant does not have a problem with additional lighting being installed in either area,” he said. “ We participated in two night time ‘walk arounds’ last year with police, faculty and students and those areas were not identified as problem areas on either walk around.” 

According to VSU police Sgt. Mike Blanton, the lighting on campus is “pretty adequate” and the VSU police are very responsive to student’s requests. Blanton expressed that more students need to actively use the “buddy system.”

 The trail lighting as well as other lighting on campus can easily be fixed if students voice their concerns to the VSU police department.

 Blanton strongly indicated that the VSU police department, as well as VSU maintenance department, is more than willing to correct any problems concerning lighting on campus.

 It is encouraged that if any students have worries or concerns about this issue to visit the VSU police department located on the second floor of the Oak Street parking complex.