University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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Xavier Diaz and Rob Blakeslee of UM Security provide a few students with a late night escort to Stanford Resi- dential College. Photo by Lisa Vincenm Junior Michele McBride enters Hecht Residential College after midnight and must present identification to the security assistant to enter the building. Photo by Robert NoeD Student Life 28

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ity. More and more students prefer living in the residential colleges; this means more paperwork for residence life staff. This may not be a disadvan- tage, though. As Sheri Schmid, an RA in Hecht Residential College, says, tiWe must be doing something right if more students like living on campus? Programs are another impor- tant part of the RA job. RAs create a community feeling and atmosphere by organizing recreational, social and educational programs. Residents can take part in activities ranging from movie nights to volleyball barbecues to floor dinners and even frog hunts. As a first year RA, I learned that food was the key to a successful program. It almost guarantees 10001; turnoutf says Sayra Chi of Hecht Resi- dential College. The RA serves one of the most comprehensive roles in residence life. It is a challenge to be called to do so many tasks and hold a variety of re- sponsibilities, While shaping an educa- tion. But this is all part of college life and an RA is a link to successful com- munity living. Student Life 27

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aouacwwg BY CHRISTINE THOMPSON Safety 0n college campuses has always been a serious issue. UM, like many other universities, offered its students the best in protection and security services. Miami...big city, big crime. Thatis the assumption people tend to make, especially after M iami Vice deco- rated our futuristic image With bullet holes and lionly-in-Miamili scenes. The University of Miami feels the impact of such an impression, fielding the ques- tions and concerns of students and parents regarding campus safety. UM has an extensive program Which promotes personal safety and security both on and off campus. The Department of Public Safety realizes the University is not immune to theft, vandalism or other crimes and, there- fore, offers students a service-oriented program to fit their needs. Public Safety,s Student Secu- rity Escort Patrol provides free security escorts for all students, staff or faculty members. The service runs from early evening to the early morning hours, seven days a week. Security Patrol officers are full-time students who work for Public Safety. They are trained in radio procedure, traffic control, patrol techniques, health emergencies and reporting suspicious or hazardous ac- tivities. They can not get involved in a confrontation, but instead must observe and report the incident to campus p0- lice. The residential colleges are an important link in the University,s secu- rity network. Each college requires identification from everyone entering the building during the evening. This helps to ensure the safety of the fami- lies and students Who make the resi- dential colleges their home. Only stu- dents with a tCane Card Who are resi- dents of a particular college may enter after hours. All others must be signed in as guests by the students they are Visiting. Public Safety Call Boxes are also key to the success of UM security services. At eleven locations across campus students can find police call boxes marked by a blue light above the box. These phones are direct lines to Public Safety and are available in the event of an emergency or any situation requiring police assistance. The safety phones can also be used to request a security escort from anywhere on cam- pus. The University of Miami pro- vides a Wide range of safety services, all of Which are staffed by well-trained students and professional police offi- cers deputized by the Chief of Police of Coral Gables. There is an emphasis, though, on personal responsibility and common sense as well. Public Safety stresses the importance of taking pre- cautions-locking dorm room doors, walking in well-lighted areas, using the security escortseto increase pre- vention of crime. The Crime Prevention Unit of the Department of Public Safety offers an engraving service to mark valuable items, free bicycle registration and crime prevention programs. The secu- rity system of UM continues to develop and improve, increasing safety aware- ness on campus and in the community. Student Life 29