One day each semester, Drake students and faculty gather to walk across campus at night. Their mission? Improve campus life.
During the safety walk, attendees are split up into two groups, joined by Scott Law and other faculty, and walk around two different halves of campus looking for any potential safety concerns, such as burnt-out lights and trees or bushes that need to be trimmed for visibility. Law writes down the concerns to address in the future.
“The safety walk started out as a suggestion from a former Hall Director,” Scott Law, executive director of public safety, said. “Each of the past three years I have worked with the safety and security senator in order to plan the event.”
The fall safety walk was held on Oct. 23, 2024. Jada Gruhn, the Health and Safety Student Senator At-Large, helped organize the event.
“I wanted to have students come and point out what could make campus safer,” Gruhn said. “I also think that the students’ point of view to what Public Safety and Facilities see are very different. I wanted to make sure that they are able to see what the students see.”
Students’ thoughts on the walk this semester were largely positive.
“They think that it was successful and was a fun event to attend,” Gruhn said. “The walk was a great way to see what is good and what could use some improvement on campus.”
Law takes pride in what he has accomplished with the safety walk this semester.
“We had a great turnout this year,” Law said. “Jada Gruhn did an incredible job to recruit students to be part of the walk this fall; we had about 20 students participate.”
Gruhn shared a similar joy with the event.
“The turnout at the event was great,” Gruhn said. “I was told by Scott Law, who helped me orchestrate the event, that it was the biggest turnout he had seen for the event.”
While students saw possible improvements to be had on campus, they may not notice the improvements being made until next semester’s safety walk.
“We will conduct the next safety walk about two weeks prior to the Drake Relays,” Law said. “We know that the Relays bring a lot of visitors to the campus and that it is a very active time on campus. By doing the spring walk, we hope to address any concerns that students may have as we get closer to the Relays.”
During the spring walk, students can really see the impact the fall safety walk had on campus.
“I think that, with the success of the fall safety walk, it will be great to see what we can do with the spring walk,” Gruhn said. “I truly think that the spring walk will be a great way to look at more ways to improve campus.”
