DSU announces plans to address campus safety concerns
By DOVER — Following a student protest spotlighting campus safety worries Wednesday and a town hall meeting Thursday, Delaware State University announced on Friday night a plan to address concerns.
In a letter to students, University President Dr. Tony Allen thanked students that attended the town hall that reportedly concluded after 2 a.m. Friday and shared that “I both appreciated hearing from you and felt personally impacted by those who took the opportunity to share their stories. Your bravery and strength are clear and compelling.
“Now is an opportunity for us to support you better and with the care and compassion you should expect.”
Dr. Allen announced that Dr. Gwen Scott-Jones, dean of the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and senior social work major Rita Williams will head a “broad coalition of the University community (to be named), including students, parents, staff, and faculty, to review our current practices and develop sexual assault awareness activities and interventions for our entire University community.”
The full coalition is scheduled to be named at a followup meeting at 11 a.m. next Friday, Dr. Allen said.
Prior to Thursday’s meeting inside the Education and Humanities Theatre, university spokesman Carlos Holmes said there have been five sexual assault cases overall since the beginning of school in late August and investigation continues in all of them.
According to a university police incident log, two sexual assault cases occurring on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14 are pending. They are classified as rapes, according to the record.
The first report came from the University Courtyards Building, the second inside Tubman-Laws Hall.
No media were permitted on campus Thursday, Mr. Holmes said.
A gathering was held on Tuesday, which Dr. Allen described as a “Student Government Association student-only meeting.”
Dr. Allen announced some actions that will be taken immediately, including :
• Assigning Deputy Chief Joi Simmons as the Sexual Assault Awareness officer. Deputy Chief Simmons has extensive training in sexual assault education, investigations, and victim / survivor services, the announcement said.
• Upgrading security to include lighting throughout the main campus and DSU downtown including the emergency blue lights system.
• Ensuring that Public Safety escort service is fulfilling the needs of students.
• Enhancing camera utilization on campus and in the residence halls.
• Extending counseling hours to Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon through the end of February, at which point the university will reassess its regular hours. Virtual health services will be available through ChristianaCare-GoHealth Urgent Care, gohealthuc.com/dte/christianacare/desu.
Additionally Dr. Allen said “I have also asked Dr. Pam Adams, director of Spiritual Life and University Chaplain, and Dr. Michelle Fisher, Associate Vice President of Campus Health Services, and her team to coordinate special support groups for students who are survivors and/or allies.”
• Convening the first in a series of mandatory sensitivity trainings for the entire University Community throughout the remainder of the semester. The University will build this work into its annual training routines, he said.
Also, Dr. Allen said, “I want to emphasize that these are initial steps, aimed at immediately improving our current practices.
“We will work closely with the coalition as we build out our long-term plan.”
Dr. Allen “strongly” encouraged students “ to report any incidents of sexual harassment, abuse, or assault to our Title IX office, Public Safety, or any University official.”
Additionally, Dr. Allen said a newly created anonymous hotline is available to call at 302-857-6866. The hotline will be monitored daily, he said.
