With a change in police cruisers, campus safety offerings and other improvements, the university has been working to make campus safer for students.

That same idea is affecting the WSU West Campus, as well, as the campus near Maize is undergoing new safety treatments to make everyone feel at ease.

“When first opened in 2006, at the time, President Beggs intended the West Campus to be a technological showpiece,” said Augustine Iacopelli, assistant director of the West Campus. “These upgrades are also a part of that mission.”

Last semester, a string of crimes hit the area surrounding campus, highlighted by the sexual assault and burning of a woman in Fairmount Park. Around the same time, a string of muggings and assaults also occurred just off campus near Brennen Hall.

As a result, campus security was a hot subject in the WSU community.  

Through the use of improved technology and increased funds, the university is working to increase security at the West Campus as well as on the main campus.     

“Technology has gotten significantly better since the [original cameras] were installed,” Iacopelli said. “Technology Services advised us to to upgrade the cameras to the newer technology.”

The new cameras replaced the ones installed in 2006 and are high-definition and wide-angle, allowing security personnel to monitor building activities in a more flexible manner.

In addition, camera upgrades include an additional security camera on the outside of the building monitoring the parking lot. Technology upgrades are expected to cost less than $6,000.

Technology upgrades are not the only changes to security.

Expanding present coverage by security personnel, officers will be on campus Fridays and Saturdays, adding to the times they are on campus Monday through Thursday.

“University Police has authorized us to have an outside vendor for security at the WSU west location,” Iacopelli said.

Overall, the upgrades are designed to make facilities and campuses as safe as possible.

“We wanted to make sure that we are providing the best services we can,” Iacopelli said.