After the jump I’ve pasted in an email from Pam Young, this one titled “Campus crime report for July 8-21, 2007.” But before we get to the actual report, I thought I’d mention a couple of things:
- I think it’s great that EMU is finally doing something like this. But…
- Maybe this is just me, but I think this sort of report ought to come in an email directly from folks in the Department of Public Safety, and not the PR wing of EMU. Perhaps I’m just splitting hairs here, but in Pam Young’s role as a PR/communication person, she has also the one who has sent out emails about how the faculty union was behaving badly, about how no foul play was suspected, and about how EMU did not mishandle the Dickinson murder investigation. I realize that Young (and Ward Mullens, too) are mainly just doing what they’ve been told to do and/or say. Still, I would feel better if this came directly from DPS. It wouldn’t be hard to facilitate technology-wise, of course. I also would like to see this info archived on the web.
- As this report suggests, EMU is a pretty boring and safe place, especially in the summer.
Okay, to the report itself:
In an effort to keep the campus community informed, the university is
providing the following information:
As reported by EMU’s Department of Public Safety, the following are
reported campus crimes for July 8-21, 2007
Aggravated Assault – 0
Arson – 0
Burglary – 0
Forcible or Non-Forcible Sex Offenses – 0
Homicide – 0
Motor Vehicle Theft – 0
Robbery – 0
Hate Crimes – 0
Other incidents:
Property Destruction/Pierce Hall/ reported 7-9-07; towel dispenser damaged
Larceny/Outside Best Hall/ reported: 7-10-07; bicycle from bike rack
Animal/Munson Hall/ reported 7-11-07; unattended pet
Disorderly/Pray Harrold/ reported 7-11-07; disorderly student
Disorderly/Hill Hall/ reported 7-11-07; disorderly subject
Property Destruction/Marriott Lot/ reported 7-16-07; vehicle damaged
Larceny/Boone Hall/ reported 7-16-07; unattended purse
Harassing Communication/Pray Harrold/ reported 7-17-07; e-mail
Public Peace/Parking Structure/ reported 7-20-07; loud argument
DPS would like to remind the campus of the following services:
SEEUS hours through the end of the summer semester will be Monday
through Friday, 5 – 11 p.m. SEEUS can be contacted by calling S-EEUS
(7-3387 on campus or 487-3387 by cell).
DPS, Parking, and Health & Safety main offices are temporarily located
in Pittman Hall. Watch for information on our offices moving as we work
through a new building project. Our 24-hour Dispatch Center is still
open in the parking structure.
Campus Emergency: 911 (from a campus phone)
Non-Emergency: 487-1222
Police Administration: 487-0892
Parking Office: 487-3450
Health & Safety: 487-0794
Crime Prevention: 487-0987
We welcome your comments, concerns and questions. Send them to us by
e-mail: dps.questions@emich.edu
Can I just say; too little, too late?
I still hate the fact that because I’m not registered for Spring/Summer classes that I don’t get these e-mails. Thanks for posting it, sitedad.
I share the same concern that these notices are sent from PR rather than DPS. If only for appearances, I’d rather have them come directly from DPS because then we’d have a little more assurance that news wasn’t being spun to benefit the University. Not that I think they really *are* (it’s a little too soon for them to already be getting themselves into trouble again!) but like I said, for appearance’s sake.
Also, it sucks that these e-mails aren’t sent to people that aren’t registered for spring/summer classes. Some of these people are still around campus, and at any rate have the right to know if something major happens at their university while they’re away!
On a slightly tangential note, did anyone see the brief report that was on Anderson Cooper on CNN tonight? It didn’t say anything that we didn’t already know, but I thought it was interesting to see us on such a well-known program (rather than just a sound bite on Headline News or a web article)
Since getting several e-mails from both Pam Young and Ward Mullens assuring me that “no foul play was suspected” last December and that very obviously not being the case, I take everything they say in their e-mails with a grain of salt. I would also be far more willing to trust the accuracy of this crime report if it came from DPS and not either of them.
I trust nothing that comes from Pam Young or Ward Mullens. They proved this year that they will say what they are paid to say. If they had any integrity, they would have spoken out and/or quit rather than perpetuate the lies and mistruths. They should both leave EMU and let the Public Information Office be represented by someone with a clean slate.
In the meantime, I, too, see the crime reports as too little, too late and do not trust them.
If I am not mistaken, it is the University’s responsibility to abide by the Clery Act, not the Department of Public Safety. They have better things to do. It appears to me there is too much crap in that e-mail, totally unneccesary.
1. I have no problem with routing the crime reports through a public information office. Seems to me those people (Young and Mullens) have just said what they had been told to say. Over the last 15 years I have seen no reason to believe that office is unreliable.
2. Plus, I am reasonably confident that they (Young, Mullens), at least, will release reports with no grammatical/spelling mistakes. High quality use of English in a formal, public (or near public, such as email) is of great importance. Indeed, I’m about to jump over to the two EMUs posting to whine about the misuse of “comprise”.
3. I really, *really* want these crime reports to be archived on the web.
4. “Too little, too late” doesn’t make sense to me. Campus crime reports are necessary. The fact that reports weren’t released in the past doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be released now.
5. What is the problem with emailing students during semesters they are not actively enrolled? That nutty decision alienates students from EMU. Similarly, why not keep EMU student (and staff/faculty) accounts for a year after leaving EMU. That bit of ultra-low cost service would add to long term good will.