How safe is Stephens College?

In case of an emergency, it's a dial tone, not flashing lights or alarms, that the ten emergency poles placed strategically around campus emit when triggered.

"You press the button, wait on the dial tone and either dial 911 or campus security," said Tony Coleman, Stephens' head of security.

But, in a moment of panic, students said they wanted more than what their cell phones could provide and had some second-guessing the college's safety.

According to the policies and procedures documents, found under the security tab of the Stephens' website, the emergency poles are among the safety measures instituted by campus security. 

Along with them, an emergency notification system that sends text messages to students, faculty and staff about weather and other warnings is tested, but not campus-wide, according to Coleman. The system also has statistical information that lets security see who didn't receive the message. Also, all residential buildings require a secure key to open the door, which are provided only to students living in the dorms. 

These documents also presented crime rates only from the early 2000s, but statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Education are more recent. During the last three years, only a few burglaries and liquor law violations have been recorded.

Although campus crime rates remain relatively low, Coleman said they monitor local police scanners and remain on constant watch.

"We have security officers out and about the majority of the time," he said. "That high visibility in itself acts as a deterrent."

However, some students still feel that the presence of campus security is not enough to make them feel safe. When asked about the possibility of a school shooting similar to that of Virginia Tech in 2007, Jennifer Pestle, a sophomore MPA major, said security probably could not gain control of such a massive issue.

"Because the police station is so close, I feel safe is something like that were to happen," Pestle said. "But, I don't think our security would be able to handle a situation like that."

Coleman said bigger issues where a person is harmed are normally handled by local law enforcement. Smaller thefts on campus are documented by campus security but can also be handled by the Columbia Police Department. 

While some students said they felt safe on campus, most agreed that the neighborhood surrounding campus was not the safest in Columbia.

After losing a parking lot this school year to a soon-to-be, neighboring apartment complex, some students are parking in lots across campus or on Pratt Street, behind the dorm quad.

Angela Jackson, a fashion marketing and management sophomore, said she has had a few experiences at night that have made her wary of the neighborhood surrounding Stephens.

"There was a guy walking a pretty safe distance in front of me one night, but he was walking funny and talking to himself," Jackson said. "Sometimes, I get in really late at night, and I don't feel safe walking that distance alone."

Coleman did not deny that the neighborhood surrounding Stephens has a lot of activity, and he encouraged students to never walk alone or call security if they need an escort across campus at night.

"That allows an officer to be there when you get back to campus and takes some of that anxiety out of the process," he said.

Despite the concerns of the surrounding area, most students agreed that they feel safe on campus. 

"I always see security driving around in their vans, and I know that they're there when you call them," Pestle said. "They're always quick to answer your calls."