Students colored tote bags, pet dogs and took an evening walk across campus this week. But they weren’t just doing it for fun.
The series of events, organized by the Student Government Association (SGA), was meant to help students stay safe on campus.
Emery Hadley, the wellness and sustainability chair for SGA, took charge of “Safety Week.”
“We try to do it every fall,” Hadley said. “It gives us a second to sit back and remind ourselves how to protect ourselves (and) how to protect other people.”
Destressing — with dogs
On Tuesday, students gathered to craft and spend time with dogs in the Rhatigan Student Center. Jack Murphy, a regular on campus, brought his labs, Alice and Angie, to hang out with the group.
Alice and Angie are therapy dogs, and Murphy brings them to the RSC every other week.
“You always think of little kids reading to the dogs, but big kids need nice dogs, too,” Murphy said.
Hadley, who uses they/them pronouns, said they wanted to help students take their minds off school and other stressors. That’s why they organized a crafting activity and invited Murphy, Angie and Alice.
“It’s a midterm season, and I feel like I’m personally very stressed out,” Hadley said. “So, I kind of thought that something really chill and … a mindfulness activity would be good for people.”
Students at the event said they did feel somewhat stressed about school, but they had a variety of ways to wind down, from taking time to be on their own to going on walks in nature.
Selah Walker, a sophomore studying dental hygiene, said being around the dogs relaxed her.
“I have a dog at home that helps with my anxiety, but obviously, I can’t have it here, so that’s why I came,” Walker said. “It makes me relax whenever I’m able to pet a dog.”
Preventing overdose through training and resources
On Monday, Hadley partnered with Rachael Gladden from Health, Outreach, Prevention and Education (HOPE) Services, to provide training on how to use naloxone, a drug used to treat opioid overdose.
The training, however, was not given because no students attended.
Students can sign up for training on using naloxone, and receive more information on substance misuse from HOPE Services.
Safety across campus
Hadley worked with Wichita State University Police officers on Wednesday evening to do a “safety walk” across campus, looking for areas that could use improvements in being more accessible or that need more lighting or blue lights.
Guy Schroeder, chief of WSUPD, said the safety walk is an annual tradition that helps police get feedback from the campus community to improve safety.
“Usually in September or October, the Student Government Association … reach(es) out to us about a walk across campus, giving them an opportunity to speak their piece about concerns,” he said.
Schroeder said the walk is also a chance to bring attention to campus police as a resource for students if they ever feel unsafe.
“Just a simple phone call to the 3450 number, and we can … be in the area so that you can see the police car if you’re going from one location to another,” he said.
Campus police’s non-emergency number is (316) 978-3450.
“One of the things that probably concerns me the most is that (students) are afraid to call the police department for whatever reason,” Schroeder said. “And (if you) see something, don’t be afraid to call. And if it turns out to be nothing, it turns out to be nothing. I’m good with that. I’m absolutely good with that. But that’s why we’re here on campus.”
Schroeder said for all kinds of safety concerns, from walking across campus at night to mental health issues, there are resources available.
“The university’s CARE Team is hugely important in (preventing mental health crises),” he said. “We do have avenues for people to report those folks in crisis so that it doesn’t come to the last second call when we finally get it.”
